


What's New, Pussycat?

by ExoticBuns



Category: RWBY
Genre: Also every chapter is a Tom Jones lyric, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anti-Faunus Racism (RWBY), Attempted Sexual Assault, Background Crosshares, Because I can, Blake is a conflicted butt, Bumbleby - Freeform, But racism goes both ways, Cheating, Domestic Violence, Explicit Language, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Rape/Non-con Elements, Secret Relationship, Self-Discovery, Sexual Tension, implied eating disorder, necking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2019-07-10 07:07:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 16
Words: 50,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15944282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExoticBuns/pseuds/ExoticBuns
Summary: Three years of high school Blake Belladonna has suffered silently at the hands of someone she treasures. When a loud and impulsive blonde barges into her life without asking permission, Blake must face the cold truths of her relationship.And hopefully not end up making things worse.{TauraDonna start with Bumbleby end goal}





	1. Like The Way You Fight

**Author's Note:**

> New story boys! I've been wanting to do a high school AU for so long and it's finally happening! I'm super excited and I hope all of you are too!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from Sex Bomb - Tom Jones  
> (Yes I was serious)
> 
> Edit: This chapter was rewritten as of 12/03/18, that's mm/dd/yy

Blake found herself tuning out as Mr Port droned on about some anecdote that surely nobody in the class cared about. Something about state regional championships his tenth year. She began looking around the room for things that might occupy her attention during this irrelevant tirade about why coaches should always be aware of their students' struggling. She noticed a blonde girl a few desks away, leaning forward onto her desk as she eagerly listened, nodding in agreement with some of the things Port had said.

Blake tried to remember her name...Yang, maybe? That was probably right. The girl had been loud and excitable since day one of the semester and Blake was not the type of person who befriended loud and hyper. The girl had never noticed her, and Blake couldn't blame her one bit. There were several other students in this class more deserving of her attention, more receptive to her loud personality. She was interesting, but she was just that. Nothing more than a passing interest.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the class and the starting lunch period. Blake quickly gathered her things and briskly left, ignoring Port's comments about the essay they had due. She had already finished it. The hall quickly filled with other students, all eager to be fed after a long morning of concentration. They all bumped into each other, tripping on themselves and others, all oblivious to the people around them who might have wanted their space. That's why Blake always took the long way to the cafeteria. It was actually faster if you were at the back of the crowd since hardly anybody went that way. Just the people who valued their personal space.

Ilia was waiting for her, leaning against the wall with her bag over one shoulder. Blake had told her countless times that carrying a backpack like that was bad for her shoulders and back, but Ilia never listened. Ilia didn't care.

"Adam's not with you?" Blake asked her unsurely. It was more a question of where he was, as it was obvious that the young man was not beside Ilia. Blake had a feeling she already knew the answer.

"He went on ahead." Ilia answered, a look of sympathy in her eyes. Blake ignored it and walked down the hall, tightly gripping the strap of her shoulder bag. Ilia quickly followed her, pulling out her phone to show Blake something as they walked. "Speaking of Adam, check out what he posted." Blake glanced over only long enough to read the Tweeter post. Another rally/protest at another racist store.

"Are you going this time?" Blake asked her cautiously. The last time Adam had taken Blake to a protest things had went south pretty fast. Punches were thrown and everybody was screaming, which was less than pleasant when you had sensitive feline ears.

"Obviously." Ilia scoffed at the question like Blake had asked if she was even a faunus, which in a way she had. "This one will go better, I promise." She had obviously noticed the uncertainty in Blake's eyes. Ilia knew Blake better than anyone, better than her own parents, so it was no surprise that she would immediately notice when Blake was in another one of her moods. She hoped Adam wouldn't mind her today.

When they got to the cafeteria they saw Adam already eating his food, so Ilia and Blake went through the line on their own. Blake noticed the sunny blonde girl from her class, one line over, goofing off with a girl a few inches shorter than her with black hair. They laughed and Yang took the shorter girl's head in the crook of her arm before giving her a rough noogie. The shorter girl shrieked and pried herself from the blonde's grip, only eliciting more laughter. Blake frowned and turned away from them, grabbing a tray just after Ilia. Some people were so childish, even when they were nearly adults.

Adam barely looked up from his tray when they sat down, chewing his bite of sandwich methodically. "Nice hair." Ilia commented, gesturing to the bright red color Adam's hair had recently changed to.

"Thanks." His response was dry, as if it was a chore to return her politeness. Blake poked her sandwich with her plastic fork, not particularly hungry. As usual. She looked up at Adam, catching his eyes when he did the same. She blushed and looked away again, her ears lowering against her head.

"The color really brings out your horns." She complimented thoughtlessly. It was true, and Blake found it strangely attractive, though she wasn't sure Adam wanted any attention on his horns. She certainly didn't want to draw any more attention to her ears.

"That was the point." Adam smiled grimly. "I'm making a statement." He took another bite of his sandwich, leaving it at that. Blake never understood how Adam could be so certain in everything he did. Three years ago he had asked her out without a single stammer or awkward glance away, he had been truthful and direct when he had forgotten their anniversary, and multiple times he had gone on stage at protests to speak without a hint of nervousness.

She admired him in that regard, among others

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"So basically I was standing in front of _Weiss Schnee_  with my coffee all over her cashmere!" Ruby recalled with a grandiose gesture of her hands. Yang frowned as she absently chewed on the prongs of her plastic fork. Her attention rested solely on the faunus girl a couple tables away, tense and distant from the others sitting with her.

"No way!" Nora exclaimed with a laugh. Yang had easily recognized the faunus from her class and honestly wondered why she had never bothered talking to the girl. She was certainly interesting. Yang was almost never wrong with her feelings for people. She had a knack for telling the good ones apart. Her eyes narrowed as the guy with bright red hair and dark horns grabbed the girl's hand, his expression completely lacking any affection. There was something fishy about it.

"Yes way!" Ruby insisted. "Yang was there too! Right sis?" The blonde jumped as she realized that her friends' attention was now on her. She turned to her sister with a clueless expression, hoping desperately that she picked up that Yang had been entirely distracted for the duration of the conversation. "You okay?" Yang frowned and turned back to the faunus girl, now noticing her ears angled back in agitation or something similar.

"She seems uncomfortable, right?" She asked her friends, pointing shamelessly at the girl. "I'm not imagining that, am I?"

"That's Blake Belladonna." Velvet muttered from beside Coco, her ears dropped with worry. "She probably is, but there isn't much you can do about it." Velvet answered Yang's question with a small regretful sigh before she turned back to her lunch.

"Why not? If that guy is bothering her then somebody should say something." Yang insisted with a frown. She got horrible vibes from that horned guy and some sort of instinct was screaming at her to intervene, as rude as it was bound to seem.

"That _guy_ is her boyfriend." Velvet informed her. Coco clicked her tongue and wrapped an arm around Velvet protectively.

"Adam. I heard about that prick. Somebody caught him chewing her out in their neighborhood a couple months back." Yang immediately noticed when he slammed the table and the faunus girl visibly flinched. Yang had always had poor self control and had come to acquire a righteous attitude that her sister had rubbed off on her the past few years.

"I'm going over there." She declared boldly as she stood from her seat. Her friends tried to talk her out of it, but there was no arguing against it. Yang had already made up her mind.

-/-/-/-/-

"Those humans are staring at us." Adam said with narrowed eyes. Blake remained silent, all too used to knowing that humans had their eyes on her. Whether it was out of suspicion and distrust or ignorant curiosity, _somebody_  was staring at her. Adam, however, was not satisfied with her lack of response. "Blake!" He slammed his hands down on the table and she flinched instinctively, her heart racing from the sudden start. "It's rude to ignore me."

"I didn't ignore you!" Blake assured him quickly, though she winced as she considered it might have sounded like arguing. "I'm just...used to humans staring at us. I didn't have a response."

"At least acknowledge that you heard me."

"I'm sorry..."

His eyes flicked up, expression shifting to one of indignant annoyance. Blake glanced over her shoulder to follow his gaze, surprised to see her sunny blonde classmate standing near their table with her arms crossed. "What do you want?" Adam asked her with a bite in his voice, already well aware of the hurtful words that were sure to be headed their way.

"You seem to be making this lady uncomfortable." Blake was speechless as the blonde confidently stood beside their table with firm eyes that dared Adam to argue. He did, of course, and promptly stood as he did so.

"This _lady_  is my girlfriend, for your information. Clearly you've misunderstood so I suggest you back away." He warned, hands already clenched into fists in preparation for a fight. He was immediately on the defensive, and from what Blake could see from the arms brazenly displayed by her short sleeves, the girl was perfectly capable of putting up a good fight.

"I heard you shouting at her. Don't make excuses for yourself." Adam's gaze hardened, now deeply offended by her insinuation. A part of Blake wanted to intervene, to convince this girl that she had gotten it all wrong, but her mouth wasn't working for her.

"That isn't any of your business." Adam warned her as he stepped forward.

"I'm _making_ it my business." She shot back, refusing to back down and stepping forward as well. She was barely a few inches shorter than him and met his gaze with resolute determination that Blake was taken aback by.

"Back off, Xiao-Long." Adam raised a hand to push her back and like a match thrown into gasoline that small insignificant spark ignited a blaze. She threw a right hook and Adam stumbled back, his hand lifting to cradle his jaw.

"Don't touch me." She spat angrily as she shook her hand.

"Adam!" Ilia and Blake both stood at the same time, though it was Blake that hurried around the table to check on him. "Oh my god, are you okay?" Blake had been punched only once, but it was enough to know how much it hurt and how deep the pain seemed to settle. Adam groaned when she reached to check the damage, but it seemed to only be a bruise. Either this girl had pulled the punch or she wasn't as strong as she looked.

"Yang!" A girl ran towards them, black hair with red tips hanging messily off the side of her face. The blonde turned and accepted a hug from the girl. "You're crazy! If you get in a fight then dad's gonna have your head!"

"She should have thought of that before starting something." Adam growled as he pushed Blake away and stormed towards Yang. She pushed the girl away, presumably her sister, and raised her arms in time to side swipe a punch thrown by Adam. She lifted her leg and kicked his shin, throwing off his balance, before tackling him and pushing him down to the ground. By this point countless students had gathered around to see what was going down, ultimately blocking the teachers from being able to get through.

Blake could hear people chanting Adam's name, telling him to get back up and kick her ass, but those were the minority. Most were chanting Yang's, screaming and hollering and too excited to see this go down for her to be just anyone. Judging from the way she used Adam's swings to her advantage she was no stranger to a fight. And judging from the way she was now pinning him down with ease, it was easy to assume that she was on the wrestling team.

"Show him who's boss, sis!" The dark haired girl shouted excitedly, suddenly much more into the fight now that Yang had the advantage. Ilia seemed to be at a complete loss, utterly unaware of who exactly she was meant to be rooting for.

"How do you like that, you crazy asshole!?" Yang shouted, rubbing Adam's face into the floor. Adam groaned and struggled to throw her off, but a casual thug made no match for a wrestling champion. "Not so high and mighty now, are you?"

"Alright! Break it up!" The crowd dispersed to let through the Vice Principal, Mrs Goodwitch. Yang immediately let Adam go, standing up straight and dusting herself off. "Miss Xiao-Long, I'd better hear that you're not responsible for this."

"No ma'am!" Yang quickly assured her. "I mean, yes ma'am." She corrected herself timidly. "But he-" She pointed to Adam to defend herself, but Mrs Goodwitch cut her off.

"Don't point fingers, Miss Xiao-Long, you're not in Kindergarten." Yang quickly returned her hand to her side. Mrs Goodwitch turned to Adam, her eyes narrowing. "And you, Mr Taurus, are going to have a long talk with the Principal about your behavior. This isn't the first time, but I hope to make it the last." Adam grumbled under his breath and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Right now, young man." Mrs Goodwitch pressed, prompting Adam to follow her out of the lunchroom,

"What the heck was that about?" The shorter human girl asked her sister with an incredulous look. It was clear from her surprise that this was not usual behavior for the blonde. Amethyst eyes met Blake's golden and soon Yang leaned in to whisper her answer into her sister's ear. "You're crazy." She sighed.

"I had it handled, Ruby." _Ruby_. That was her name. "This girl knew it." Suddenly Yang's eyes were on her, soft lilac filled with curiosity. Blake felt an uneasiness fill her, wariness caused by the girl's violent introduction. "You're so quiet in class I don't think I know your name. I'm Yang." She extended her hand in greeting and Blake eyed it warily.

"Blake." She didn't see the harm in knowing her. She seemed nice enough if not for the fight and really Adam had escalated things farther than necessary. Besides, her reason for interfering was noble, if a bit misinformed. "I don't know what you've heard about Adam, but he's really not that bad. He's just not a people person." Yang frowned, a very odd look in her eyes that nearly resembled sympathy before she forced a smile.

"Nah, I'm sure. I guess I was a bit quick to jump to conclusions." Blake finally gripped her hand, shaking it. "Bad day for him?" She nodded her head, omitting a verbal answer. "Well, you seemed upset so I guess my good samaritan instinct kicked in. Sorry about that."

"I understand, but you don't know me." Blake pointed out to her.

"No." She admitted with a charming smile. "But I'd like to."


	2. Hair of Gold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from Green Green Grass of Home - Tom Jones

Blake hadn't expected to feel so nervous walking into Mr Port's class the next day. Sure, Yang had managed to beat Adam in a fight and that was sure to make things awkward with his girlfriend, but Blake had made it clear that there were no hard feelings yesterday. At least, she thought she had. Did her actions not speak for themselves? Should she have said something?

Blake mumbled a curse under her breath as she sat down, surprising the boy that usually sat next to her. He didn't say anything, looking away nervously when Blake glared at him. It wasn't long after that the boisterous buxom blonde made her entrance, laughing at a conversation with her friend before confidently walking in and dropping her bag into her seat. Blake was confused for a moment as to why the bag had gone in her chair instead of beside it, but this feeling was quickly replaced with anxiety as Yang strolled easily up to Blake's desk.

"How's it shakin', bacon?" She asked with a bright smile. Blake stared up at her with her usual expression, an unimpressed frown.

"Are we suddenly friends?" Blake asked her, raising a brow only slightly. Yang scoffed and kneeled so she was closer to eye level with Blake. Her smile was incessant, never fading from her lips for even a second.

"No reason why we can't be!" She enthused. She glanced over her shoulder when a friend called her name, gesturing for them to give her one minute. She turned back to Blake, still smiling. "You mentioned yesterday that I don't know you. Well, I'd like to. So I thought I'd talk to you. Isn't that how you get to know people?" Blake's glare faltered, surprised by the sincerity that wasn't faked or forced at all. Yang grinned and slapped the desk before standing. "Think about it." With that she returned to her desk, where her friend asked what in the world had happened that made her talk to the quiet faunus.

So Blake did think about it. Throughout the entire class. She had never been friends with a human before, mostly because the majority of them wanted nothing to do with her. Yang seemed so sincere, despite everything. Blake wasn't sure why she would want to be friends so badly. It wasn't as though they had anything in common. Yang was loud, outgoing, and was even in a sport. She was the opposite of everything Blake was used to.

Still, she knew that there was no way Adam would approve of her befriending a human, much less one that had beat him in a fight. There was no way that his pride had not been wounded and she didn't want to exacerbate that.

"Alright then class!" Port raised his voice to gather everyone's attention, implying that he had something very important to say. "With the essay done and out of the way you all are going to work on a presentation based off of what you've learned." Blake could already see friends sharing glances, silently agreeing to work with each other. "You're going to partner with someone you _don't_  know." Port added as soon as he noticed the hushed whispers.

A collective groan came from the class.

"Only two people in these partnerships. If I see a group of three or more I will make you all switch partners." Port declared firmly, eyeing a certain group of friends. "You will use your essays for information. If you've done the work properly then you shouldn't have any problem with that." Blake's ears flicked downward when Yang's eyes immediately found her, a sly grin on her lips that showed far too much excitement. "Any questions?" Blake raised her hand, surprising everyone. "Uh, Miss Belladonna?"

"Can I do this alone?" She asked with a pointed look in Yang's direction. She knew what she was up to, and Blake wasn't going to get in deep water because this girl didn't understand when to quit. Yang scoffed across the way, rolling her eyes with an amused smile.

"I understand that you're not a very outgoing person, Blake, and you are a very smart girl, but partners _are_ required." Mr Port answered calmly. Blake sighed in defeat and rested her head in her hand. "Is that all?" Silence. "Alright, partner up. I'll explain more after."

Blake stayed in her seat as chaos broke out around her. Everyone was chatting up a storm trying to find out who they would partner with. Yang had come straight to her, already confident in her choice. The obnoxious blonde sat down in the seat beside Blake, as the boy that sat there had left to find a partner. Blake tried to ignore her, turning away and pretending that she didn't even notice the girl.

"You're not very friendly, are you?" Yang asked with an awkward laugh. Blake glanced her way. She supposed she could always come up with an excuse as to why she'd been partnered with this girl. It wasn't as though Blake was the luckiest person anyway. Reluctantly, Blake turned to properly face her.

"You beat up my boyfriend and then expect us to be best friends?" Blake snapped. How could this girl not realize how upset Adam would be?

"He was the one who made it physical." Yang grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. Blake scoffed and turned away again. She couldn't be friends with Yang, that's what she didn't get. She just... _couldn't_. "Does he often berate you like that?" Yang asked her softly.

"That's not really any of your business."

"Alright. Just curious." A silence fell between them after that, luckily interrupted by Mr Port as the class finally settled down with their partners. He explained to them the finer details of what would be expected in the presentation and approximately how long it would take. It was due in a month, so it was a fairly sized project. Mr Port also encouraged everyone to exchange phone numbers with their partner to organize work sessions outside of class. Yang slipped a torn piece of paper over onto Blake's desk, a phone number scrawled across it.

Class after that was dedicated to planning for the project and growing more familiar with your chosen partner. Blake had overheard someone whisper to their friend that "the quiet girl" was lucky to be partnered with Yang. Generic comments of childish envy. Unfortunately her keen faunus hearing made it so much easier to hear these sorts of comments, along with the friend's reply of "quiet! She's a faunus, she might hear you!"

"So how'd you meet Adam?" Yang asked with a sweet smile, leaning forward with her arm on the back of their chairs. There was far too much of her in Blake's personal space.

"Aren't we supposed to be talking about the project?" Blake asked, turning back to her notebook. She had written some ideas down already, though most were just excerpts from her essay.

"And getting to know each other." Yang reminded her with that annoying grin. "So how'd you meet your boy-toy?" Blake snorted at that comment, surprising Yang with the response. She quickly brushed it off and occupied herself with doodling in her notebook's margins.

"He is _not_  my boy-toy." Blake couldn't hide the smile with how amusing that term was to her. Yang giggled, her expression bright with excited relief. She was so _proud_ of herself for making Blake laugh. "I don't see why you care so much."

"Just wondering how you ended up with a jerk like him." Yang answered without the slightest trace of hesitation. Blake caught herself pressing too hard with her pencil. "I mean, you could easily do way better than him."

"You barely know him." Blake pointed out with a sharp glare. Yang _didn't_  know Adam. She didn't know how sweet he could be, how protective he was, and how devoted he was. She couldn't see the passion and dedication in him. Just the anger.

"Okay, that's fair." Yang admitted softly. "So tell me something about him. Go ahead and gush. I'm curious." Blake's ears perked in surprise, though her expression quickly grew suspicious. She could see only sincerity in Yang's eyes, despite all the reasons why she shouldn't. Though, the lingering trace of concern worried her.

"He's..." Blake hesitated, unused to expressing her feelings for him. "Passionate and driven. He's stubborn, which I actually admire." She smiled and soon found herself doodling a rose. "He's thoughtful and I know that he would do anything to protect me." Blake glanced over to Yang uncertainly, but found her to be listening intently. "He can be so gentle, even if it's only rare moments. There's times where he treats me like I might break and it's so endearing to see him stumble over himself." Her cheeks filled with color and a lovesick smile spread across her lips. "And he's such a good kisser."

"Hey, hey, keep it G rated, Belladonna." Yang laughed. Blake blushed and made to apologize when the bell rang, interrupting her. Blake flinched and quickly gathered her things as Yang casually walked back to her desk to grab her bag. She came back to Blake right after, stopping her from leaving the class. "Hey, when are you available this week?"

"Wh-What?" Blake stammered, tightly gripping her bag's strap. Her eyes focused on the doorway, watching everyone leave before her. She really couldn't make Adam and Ilia wait.

"So we can start the project. I saw you jotting down some ideas while I chatted you up." Yang reminded her with a small laugh. She noticed Blake's anxious glancing to the door and grew uncomfortable herself. "You aren't, like, in a hurry, are you? I mean, it's lunch so-"

"Actually I am." Blake answered her quickly, moving to leave. Yang stepped out of her way, surprised by the sudden pushiness. "Adam will be worried if I make him wait."

"Well, he can wait for one minute, can't he?" Yang asked as she followed Blake out into the hall. Blake turned to head down the less popular hallway, and Yang still followed. "I just want to know when we can meet up." She persisted, growing confused with Blake's anxiety.

"Blake." Adam's voice was firm, mirroring his resolute demeanor. He stood not far down the hall, arms crossed sternly. "You took longer than usual. Is something wrong?" He asked as she approached, head down and ears drooping. Ilia stood beside him, unable to look directly at Blake. Adam's eyes focused on Yang and narrowed in anger, though Yang's did the same for a different reason. "Why is this human following you?"

"She's my partner for Mr Port's class." Blake answered him quickly, her eyes darting across the floor without lifting to either of them. "I didn't really have a choice in the matter." She added, if only to lessen the blow. Adam took a step towards Yang, only for her to do the same in retaliation.

"Stay away from Blake." Adam warned her with cold eyes, a single finger raised at her. "I know your reputation, _Xiao-Long_." He spat, his voice filled with venom.

"Kind of hard when I'm her partner." Yang replied with a cocky smirk, ignoring the second remark. He scoffed and turned around, grabbing Blake's arm to pull her along down the hall. Ilia hesitated, meeting Yang's eyes before hurriedly catching up with her friends. Yang huffed, the anger fading once he was out of sight.

 

"How many times have I told you to stay away from humans?" Adam growled as he sat down across from Blake. "You _know_  what they're like, Blake."

"Selfish and cruel. I know." Blake sighed and poked her food, not particularly in the mood to eat. Humans were horrible, but Yang wasn't like that. Blake could tell that she was an honest person who genuinely cared about the people around her. Twice they had spoken now and not once had Yang commented on her ears. Blake supposed that not all humans were terrible, just most.

"I just..." Adam sighed and looked away. "I just don't want someone like her around you. I don't trust her." Blake frowned, unsure what he meant by that. He moved on before she could ask. "You should eat, Blake. Being all skin and bones isn't healthy." Adam grumbled as he finished off an apple slice. Ilia looked up from her meal, though quickly removed herself once more from their conversation.

"I'm not hungry." She lied, pushing the food with her plastic fork. Her stomach was killing her, but she didn't feel like eating. What was so wrong with that?

"I don't care if you're hungry or not. _Eat_." Adam demanded with a sharp glare. Blake flinched and reluctantly took a bite of her apple, chewing slowly. Eating shouldn't feel like a chore. "You're a grown woman, Blake. Not a child." Blake sighed and let her gaze wander, spotting a familiar face a few tables away. Yang was laughing as she joked around with her friends, though her smile disappeared when she noticed Blake staring. She looked away and seconds after her smile seemed a lot more forced.

Figures.


	3. I Who Have Nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on a trip to New Orleans so I'm posting this from my hotel! Ah, I'm so excited!  
> Chapter title: I Who Have Nothing - Tom Jones

Blake was beginning to realize that Yang was many things, but she most certainly was not _boring_. The first time they met to work on their project it had been at the small cafe that Blake frequented, Sunshine Cafe. The owner was a faunus so the patrons were rarely human. Still Yang had agreed without a trace of hesitation, though Blake assumed she simply hadn't known. Yang had shown up with marker all over her hands and arms, beaming with a bright and sunny grin perfectly fitting the cafe's name. She apologized on behalf of her friends Nora and Coco, who she had allowed to use her as a human canvas earlier in the day. She also added that "you think that's bad, you should see my stomach." Blake declined the offer.

Weeks later and they had continued to come to the same cafe, ordering the same drinks, and sitting in the same spot every time. Yang was currently recalling a story of the last time she had been in a cafe similar to this one. She and her younger sister had ran into _Weiss Schnee_ and Ruby had accidentally spilled hot coffee on the heiress. Yang was laughing at it now, but Blake imagined that it must have been terrifying when it happened. The Schnees weren't exactly known for their wonderful people skills and saintly compassion. Yang was still laughing at the story when the barista called their names.

Yang quickly offered to get both drinks, telling Blake to stay seated with that same smile that was surprisingly hard to argue with. Blake watched her approach the counter and so easily slipped into casual conversation with the faunus barista, making him laugh like it took no effort at all for her. The blonde guy glanced Blake's way, likely noticing her watching, and turned back to Yang with a grin. Yang playfully winked at him before coming back to Blake, handing her the honey tea she had ordered.

"That barista thinks you're cute." Yang declared with a playful smile. Blake narrowly avoided choking out of surprise, causing Yang to laugh. "Don't worry. I told him you were taken." Blake allowed herself a relieved breath. Adam would have had the poor guy's head.

"He told you?" She asked, surprised that someone would reveal that to a total stranger, especially one who was associated with the person of interest. _Associated_. Not friends.

"Nah, I could just tell." Yang answered confidently. She clearly had no doubt about it. "I have this way with people; I'm sure you wouldn't understand." She teased, leaning back in the booth and relaxing with utmost ease. Blake honestly admired how easily Yang let her guard down around people. Even faunus.

"You're insufferable." Blake dismissed those thoughts, knowing better than to dwell on them. She pulled out her note book, eager to move on and begin working. "Now, if you're willing to get to work..." Blake shot Yang a pointed look.

"Hm, all business, aren't you?" Yang's smile became a different sort of playful, almost flirtatious. "I like that in a woman." Definitely flirtatious.

"You had better just be joking." Blake warned her. She only laughed and brushed it off, taking a sip of her coffee. Blake looked down at her empty notebook page, pursing her lips in thought. Something about this bothered her, but she wasn't certain what it was exactly. "I have a boyfriend." She hesitantly reminded Yang, as if the girl had forgotten. She seemed to be acting like it.

"I know." The blonde's response came easily to her, as did the mischievous smile. She was getting into Blake's head, and she knew it too. Blake could tell from that look in her eyes that Yang knew exactly what she was doing.

"So why are you flirting with me?" Blake was direct, mostly because she didn't know what else to be. She had never been so aware of someone's interest in her. If Yang _wasn't_ interested, then...what? Was this all just a game? String along the outcast until she falls for it, then reveal the ploy to the whole school and scar the poor faunus for life? She'd call herself paranoid, but there was no way Yang was genuinely interested in her.

"Was I?" Yang denied it, a smirk on her lips even as she tried to play dumb. Blake frowned and tried to cover it by drinking her tea, the bitter taste alleviated by sweet honey. Blake decided not to push the issue, since it was clear she wasn't going to get a straight answer. Yang hummed and continued to drink her coffee, her lavender eyes remaining on Blake at all times. There was something about those eyes that captured the entirety of Blake's attention.

"So, the project." Blake gripped her notebook, a tad tighter than necessary. Yang set her coffee down and smiled again, that same irresistible grin that drew people to her. Something in that smile made Blake feel like she should be on her guard.

"Yeah, what were those ideas in your notebook?" Yang asked, genuinely curious. Blake felt flattered that she had cared enough to notice, as silly as it sounded.

"Just some concepts. Nothing too fancy yet." Blake answered with the smallest hint of a smile. For a moment she met Yang's eyes, recognizing the look of admiration behind her confident demeanor. Though, maybe it was her imagination.

-/-/-/-/-

Blake found Adam waiting outside her house, sitting on the curb and texting on his phone. It wasn't unusual for him; he only lived a few houses down. He looked up when he heard her footsteps, smiling when he saw her. Blake felt a small, vague sense of guilt for hiding something from him, but she knew that if he found out she was spending time with Yang _both_  of the girls would be hurting for a while. He just couldn't control himself sometimes.

"Blake. Where have you been?" He stood and stepped towards her. "I was starting to get worried." He grabbed her hand a little more forcefully than necessary, his brows furrowed in frustration.

"I'm sorry. I was doing school work with..." Blake stopped herself before she could say " _my friend_ ". "...my partner, for Mr Port's class." Immediately his lips curled into a sneer.

" _Yang_?" Blake immediately regretted even answering. "You've been spending a lot of time with her, haven't you? You aren't _friends_ , are you?" He narrowed his eyes, burning through Blake's soul and crushing her resolve.

"No. No, she's not..." Blake hesitated, anxiously gripping the strap of her school bag. "She's not my friend." Adam hummed, as if doubting her answer. Before long he pulled on her hand, prompting her to follow him to her front door.

"Your parents haven't come home yet." Adam pointed out, tapping his foot as he waited for her to open the door. She unlocked the door and let him inside, though he grabbed her arm to stop her. "They won't be home for a while, right?"

"N-No." Blake let her bag fall to the floor as Adam closed the front door behind them. He turned back to her with possessive desire in his eyes.

"Good. I want you all to myself." He growled, his hands pulling her hips against his. He kissed her and Blake kissed him back, her chest tight with anxiety. She couldn't say no to him. She _loved_  him, she shouldn't even _want_  to say no. Blake frowned against his lips as his hands roamed. She wanted to go back to the cafe, back where she was Yang's entire focus. She wanted to see her smile again, that smile that made her feel _safe_. Why didn't she feel safe _here_? 

"Adam, stop." Blake pulled away from his kiss, gently urging him away with a hand on his chest. He frowned and grabbed her shoulder.

"Stop?" His voice was rough, laced with desire that Blake didn't want to entertain. "What do you mean _stop_?"

"I mean stop!" Blake snapped, the anxiety in her chest now a tightness that made it hard to breathe. She held her arms, hugging herself tightly for comfort. "I don't want to do this. Please, don't push."

"So that's it? You're going to make me want you and then keep me away?" He leaned in to kiss her again, only to be pushed away. Recognition flashed across his face, quickly replaced with anger. "You know I hate being teased." He growled as he continued regardless of her objection. Blake clenched her teeth, her whole body shuddering in disgust. "Argh, forget it!" Adam stepped away from her and pulled her away from the wall. "It's not any fun if you're so stiff!" Blake stumbled to the floor, holding herself tightly as she fought back tears.

He gave a frustrated sigh and dragged a hand over his face, exasperated with her behavior.

"How long have I loved you, Blake? All these years and this is how you repay me? With lies and _betrayal_?" Blake's shoulders shook as she struggled not to cry, not to show weakness. She loved Adam more than anyone else, but this was _wrong_. She knew that much. She just wished it would be over already and he'd shower her with love again. "Look at me when I'm talking!" Adam suddenly shouted. Blake flinched and did not raise her head. "Look at me!" He grabbed her hair and forced her to look up, unsympathetic to her tears.

"Stop..." Blake's voice was uneven as she struggled to speak past her sobs. Adam scoffed and threw her back to the floor.

"You're pathetic." He moved to the door, opening it with no regard for Blake who was in its path. "I shouldn't be surprised that you'd befriend a human. You have no self-respect." He spat before leaving and slamming the door shut behind him. Blake let out a wretched sob and covered her face with her hands, ashamed. She forced herself to her feet and opened the door, watching as Adam walked home.

She waited until he had gone inside before she impulsively ran out the door and ran towards the only place she had last felt safe. The one place she thought she could have a moment's peace from the whirlwind of chaos that her life had devolved into.

She ran straight for Sunshine Cafe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abusive relationships are really serious and I would never want to diminish the serious nature of them. Know that I personally have never experienced an abusive relationship and I am only writing from my knowledge of them and general human psychology.
> 
> (Ps, I hate hurting Blake ;~; )


	4. Wash Away My Lonely Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes all you need is to talk, and to have someone listen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from Sex Bomb - Tom Jones  
> (Again)

Yang was relaxing on her living room couch, playing a video game like she usually did whenever she managed to catch some free time. Juggling her homework and wrestling was such a pain that it was nice to get a break. Unfortunately for Ruby, the younger of the sisters had a bad habit of procrastinating and was stuck doing homework while Yang played their favorite game.

"Yang!" Ruby's voice came from the dining room, along with a faint 60s tune that she immediately recognized. "Your phone is ringing!" Yang quickly paused her game and rushed over, snatching her phone out of her sister's hand. The contact's name was just as she had expected from the ringtone. _Blake_. "And change that ringtone. Dad's taste in music has rubbed off on you." Yang answered the phone, ignoring her sister's comment.

"Yello!" Yang greeted her with a bright sunny smile, always eager to talk to the quiet girl. Though it was a little out of the blue, Yang liked to think that Blake was starting to warm up to her. She tended to have that effect on people.

"Uh...this is..Yang, right?" The voice on the other end was not Blake's. It was a young man, unsure of himself and strangely familiar.

"Yeah?" Yang confirmed, confused but not quite suspicious. Yet. "Who are you? Why are you on Blake's phone?"

"Oh, uh, my name is Sun. I work at Sunshine cafe, we talked earlier?" His voice indicated that he was clearly shaken up about something. "I closed up shop and was cleaning when I found your friend in the back booth." Yang frowned, unconsciously pacing in her living room. "She's passed out so I picked up her phone and called her most recent contact. You know, in case someone's looking for her. Is that weird? That was a weird thing to do, wasn't it?" Sun rambled, clearly self-conscious of his abrupt decision.

"Don't let her leave, I'll be right there." Yang told him before hanging up and tossing her phone aside. She hurried to grab her boots, slipping them on in seconds. "Ruby! I'm gonna head out, okay? Tell dad I'll be back soon!"

"Kay!" Ruby called out in reply without asking why. Yang threw on her coat and headed out the door, pulling her motorcycle keys out of the pocket. If Blake was still at the cafe then something had to be wrong. And if something was wrong with Blake she wanted to know. She could tell the girl wasn't in the best place, but she wasn't sure how to help, as much as she wanted to. Maybe this time Blake would see that she was serious about being her friend.

-/-/-/-/-/-

The cafe's lights were dimmed now that it was closed, giving the whole place a surprisingly eerie atmosphere with how dark it was outside. Yang parked her bike right outside near the door and hurried inside. She saw Sun at the counter fixing a drink, presumably for Blake, and walked up to the register. He noticed her and handed her the drink with a smile.

"That's for your friend. She woke up a few minutes ago." He gestured to the back of the cafe, where a booth blocked the view of anyone that might be sitting there. A touch inconvenient really. "Free of charge." Yang thanked him and took the drink over, setting it on the table to get Blake's attention. The girl had her head down on the table, no jacket on her despite the chilly night. When she lifted her head Yang could see her eyes were red from crying and she felt a strike of sympathy.

"Hey." Yang kept her voice soft and gentle, deciding it would be best to lose her usual bravado. She wanted Blake to know that she was safe here, with her. Blake hesitantly grabbed the cup of tea and took a sip, her expression brightening just a bit.

"Sun told me he called you." She said, meeting Yang's eyes. The blonde leaned forward onto the table, her smile soft but sincere. "I'm sorry to bother you so late."

"It's only nine." Yang assured her. "Besides, not like I was doing anything important." Blake frowned, unconvinced. "And I can tell something happened." That earned a reaction; Blake flinched and turned away, her eyes swelling with tears once again.

"I..." Her voice shook and she hid her face behind her hands before Yang saw her cry. It was too late, though. Yang's heart ached for this girl, and she knew that even if Blake didn't tell her what had happened she wanted to help. She wanted Blake to know that she was safe.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me." Yang softly assured her. "I just want you to know that you're not alone. Even though we're not that close I want you to talk to me. I'm a nice person, I swear." Yang added a silly grin and a cross over her heart to drive home her point. Blake looked up at her uncertainly, so scared of something that Yang wasn't sure she could fix.

Maybe she was getting in over her head.

"I just..." Blake started to speak, but hesitated. She sighed and anxiously traced a finger around her drink's lid. "I felt safe here. With you." Yang felt her heart jump and the bees in her stomach buzzed excitedly. She felt so stupid getting so giddy like this. They barely knew each other. "Sorry. That sounded different in my head." Blake muttered with a blush, hiding it by drinking her tea.

"No! No, I appreciate it." Yang insisted, suddenly feeling her cheeks warm. She cleared her throat and leaned back in her seat to try to come off as less uncomfortable than she was. "I'm glad you thought of me, but why not go to Ilia? Or Adam?" At the mention of her boyfriend Blake's face paled and her hands shook. That practically confirmed Yang's suspicion.

"Ilia would have called Adam." Blake answered both questions simultaneously. Yang burned with anger when she didn't even know for sure what happened. That disgusting piece of trash had hurt Blake, and that was all her emotions needed to know.

"Whatever he did..." Yang saw Blake tense. "I'm here for you, Blake." The faunus relaxed and Yang couldn't hide her sadness behind a smile. This girl deserved so much better than what she had.

"Thank you." Blake's voice was so soft and unsure, and the silence that Yang had once found endearing now made her feel terrible. Blake traced the lid of her cup with one finger, a lost look in her eye. "Adam doesn't like humans very much," She started, speaking freely so unexpectedly. Yang listened intently, giving Blake every bit of her attention. "So he wouldn't have liked me spending time with you even if you hadn't beat him in a fight." No, Yang was sure the fight hadn't helped. It wasn't like she cared if Adam liked her, though.

"Does Adam always decide who you're friends with?" Yang asked cautiously. Blake stayed silent, looking away in shame. "It's not your fault, Blake. You know that, right? Sometimes people start out nice and only show their true selves once you're too deep to just up and leave." Yang told her, eager to give the girl some kind of solace. "Cuz...you love him, don't you?" Blake broke into tears once more, lowering her head onto the table. Yang watched sadly as the girl's shoulders shook with every heart wrenching sob.

"Am I...wrong to?" Blake asked without lifting her head, forcing out words between choked sobs. "I just- he...he changed! I don't...I don't know why!" She lifted her head only to wipe away her tears, sniffing obnoxiously without caring that Yang was right there. "Look at me! He was right, Yang. I'm _pathetic_..."

"Hey!" Yang reached across the table to grab her hand, surprising her. "Don't listen to a damn thing he says, Blake. You are not pathetic." Yang assured her firmly, confident in that.

"I am! I'm crying over a guy who just-" Blake stopped herself, more tears flowing down her cheeks. Yang didn't ask. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. "And I _love_  him, Yang! How pathetic is that?"

"It's not pathetic, Blake." Yang insisted, squeezing Blake's hand. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around this girl and hold her until everything was fine, but Yang could settle for this small contact. It was all Blake needed. She could tell. "It's irrational, yeah, but who ever said that love made sense?" Yang laughed weakly. "You can't just suddenly stop loving someone, even if they hurt you, even if you know you shouldn't." Yang knew that better than some. "Trust me."

"I..." Blake sniffed strongly, an unflattering noise coming from her throat as the snot cleared. "I do." Her lips cracked into an uneasy smile. "It's kind of _crazy_ , but I do trust you. I guess you just have one of those faces." Yang felt the familiar buzzing in her stomach at the sight of Blake's smile, more real and genuine than she had ever seen it. More vulnerable.

"You mean extraordinarily good looking?" Yang quipped, unable to stop herself. Curse her unending need to make jokes at times like this. Though, as much as Yang had been expecting an eye roll or a glare, Blake _laughed_. It was just a small, barely noticeable giggle, but Blake had _laughed_  at a _flirtatious joke_. At one of _Yang's jokes_.

"Well, you aren't _un_ attractive." Blake shot right back, her smile growing a touch playful. Yang felt her face flush and quickly attempted to hide it behind her hands. Blake had definitely noticed, though she didn't bring any attention to it. She looked down at her drink, spinning it around in her hands as she thought. Yang waited patiently, assuming that it would be better for Blake to stay at _her_  pace. Her joyfully gay enthusiasm could wait for Ruby. That girl had better not be awake when Yang got home, though.

"Yang?" Blake's voice was soft and barely there, but in the silent cafe it was the center of Yang's attention. "Have you...ever loved someone that you... probably shouldn't have?" Yang sighed heavily, already knowing the answer right away. She figured Blake would ask, and it wasn't something she necessarily wanted to keep a secret. It was just hard to talk about.

"My, uh...my mom." Yang shifted in her seat and wondered if it was obvious just how uncomfortable she was. Blake could probably tell. Yang couldn't bring herself to look up at her, though. "She split from my dad not long after I was born, but I remember when I was about six or seven she came back. I think my dad tried to get her to be a part of my life, even though I didn't know who she was. She wasn't my mom, you know? My stepmom was my mom." Yang glanced up to gauge Blake's reaction and found her intently listening, both feline ears focused on her.

"So my dad had this image of my mom in his head and didn't want to believe how bad she was, especially with kids." Yang continued, finding the knot of anxiety in her gut growing tighter the closer she got to the point. "She, um...she'd hit me. Yell at me. Lot of times I didn't even realize what I did wrong, I just knew I did _something_  wrong." Yang glanced up again, finding Blake's expression now filled with sympathy. It wasn't pity like other people, just that look that told Yang without any words " _I understand you_." "But I was little and still thought it was so cool to have my _real_  mom, you know? I thought she was the best." Yang wiped away a tear from her cheek, hating that she finally cracked. "So yep. That's my sob story. So I know how it feels, Blake. To love someone you know is bad for you. I know it's not quite the same, but-"

"Thank you for telling me." Blake interrupted her. A silence stretched out longer than intended due to Yang's surprise. Blake met her eyes and reached over for _her_  hand to support Yang in return. "I appreciate you trusting me."

"O-Of course."

"And I appreciate you coming here so late. If you hadn't then Sun might have called Ilia, or my parents, or..." Blake stopped herself from saying the next name on her mind. Suddenly, her eyes widened in realization. "Oh my gosh! Sun! He was supposed to close!" Blake stood from the booth, slipping away from the table and hurrying over to the counter. Yang smiled in amusement and followed her.

"Hey Blake." Sun greeted her as she approached the front counter. His smile was casual and carefree, making it clear that this wasn't nearly as much of a nuisance as Blake seemed to think it was. "You feeling better now?"

"I am, actually." Blake smiled appreciatively at his concern. "I'm so sorry to keep you from closing. You must want to go home."

"Nah, it's no big deal." Sun assured her with a bright smile. He leaned forward over the counter, his whole demeanor screaming that he was sweet on the girl. It was so _obvious_. "I'm just glad I could help. Besides, I basically live here anyway. Gotta pay for college somehow, right?"

"That's fair." Blake giggled. "Oh! I should pay you for the drink." Blake reached into her pockets for money, but found herself short.

"Don't worry about it, Blake." Sun assured her. "It's on the house. You looked like you needed a pick me up." Blake blushed and was suddenly much more aware of her haggard appearance.

"Uh, th-thank you, then. Thank you very much." Sun beamed and continued to do so as the two girls stepped outside into the chilly night.

 

Blake shivered as a breeze blew past and this did not escape Yang's notice. The days had recently been a steady 60-70 range, but the nights had begun to cool closer to 40, indicating that fall was beginning to take full effect. It was October after all, and the chill hadn't been unexpected. Still, she couldn't let the lady freeze.

"Need a jacket?" Yang offered with a small smirk, shrugging her jacket off her shoulders. Blake frowned, hesitating before replying as if she she was torn between being selfish or suffering the cold.

"Don't you need it?" Blake asked, her golden eyes filled with concern. Yang was sure that her heart would melt if she got many more of those looks.

"Don't worry. I'm used to the cold; it doesn't bother me." Yang slipped off her brown leather jacket and handed it to Blake with a smile. "You need it more than I do." She cautiously took the jacket from Yang's hand as if she'd change her mind if Blake moved too fast. Their fingers brushed and that alone made it worth everything to Yang.

"Thank you." Her thanks was quiet and uncertain, no doubt because she couldn't believe that Yang would so readily offer it to her. Blake slipped the jacket over her shoulders and shifted it before tightening it around her and snuggling into it. Yang nearly died right there.

"D-Do you need a ride home?" Yang asked her as she stepped into the parking lot towards her bike. Blake followed her silently, likely debating it in her head. "Or...do you not want to go home?" Yang could see the fear in Blake's eyes, the uncertainty. She assumed it was because of Adam.

"I don't know where else I'd go." Blake shrugged, a hint of a smirk. "I just..I've never ridden on a motorcycle."

"Oh." Yang glanced to her bike before grinning sheepishly. "Well, I promise I'm a good driver."

"Oh, I believe you. I just don't trust _other_  people." Blake laughed nervously. She hesitated, her brows furrowing in confusion, and she pulled her hands out of the jacket's pockets. She raised one hand with an amused smile, the motorcycle keys dangling from her fingers. "Forgetting something?"

 

Yang wanted to kiss her more than dogs wanted peanut butter.

 

"I have a short attention span." Yang muttered defensively as she took the keys from her, ignoring the heat in her face. "And you are _very_  distracting." Yang threw in a casual flirtatious comment, and immediately regretted it. Luckily Blake simply brushed it off with an eye roll. Yang sat down on the bike and gestured for Blake to sit behind her, trying not to die as Blake's hands dragged over her stomach.

"Do you not have helmets?"

"Uh, no. I was kind of in a hurry when I drove here." Yang answered honestly. "Don't worry. I'm sure we'll be fine." She added, _less_  honestly. She fired up the engine and lifted the kickstand, tensing as Blake's hold on her instinctively tightened. Yang pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road with little issue, and soon enough Blake began relaxing against her.

The cool night wind was refreshing for two people who had shed more tears than either would be comfortable sharing with their families. Blake relayed directions to her home into Yang's ear, oblivious to how her warm breath on that ear made Yang feel. It wasn't long before Yang had entered Blake's neighborhood since it was within walking distance. The neat suburban housing hid within it many the dysfunctional family despite its prim and proper appearance. Yang now knew that from firsthand experience.

Yang pulled up to the curb where Blake told her to, killing the engine since she knew she wasn't leaving quickly. Blake got off immediately, obviously still uncomfortable with the motorcycle. Or the physical contact. Or both. Probably both.

"Um...thanks. For everything." Blake blushed softly and tightened the jacket around her. "I really appreciate it."

"I'm glad I could make you feel better." Yang assured her with a soft smile. "I know Adam is something you have to figure out yourself, but if you need someone to talk to I'm your girl, okay?" Blake nodded, smiling. "And if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I've got two." Yang added with the most sincere smile she could muster on command.

"Thank you, Yang. I can't even thank you enough." Blake moved to pull off the jacket, but Yang stopped her.

"Keep the jacket."

"What?"

"I'm serious. It looks better on you anyway." Yang insisted. It was true, though extremely biased. Blake hesitated, but soon was wrapping the jacket around her again like a comfort. She didn't bother thanking her, likely feeling as though it was monotonous by now. "I'll see you in class?" Blake nodded and glanced over her shoulder at her front door.

"Well...goodnight, Yang." The blonde smiled, pleased to simply hear Blake say her name.

"Goodnight, Blake." And suddenly all too soon the beautiful faunus was walking away from her, over the yard to the front door. Yang waited until she was inside before starting her bike again and driving off. The drive back home would be a little longer and without another body to keep her warm and, most importantly, distracted, Yang came to a daunting realization.

She had just given away her favorite jacket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yang is so gay and I relate so hard on a spiritual level xD


	5. I Don't Fantasize

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the back and forth perspective is annoying, rest assured that it only happens so frequently in this one chapter. My head was all over the place with this one.
> 
> Chapter title is from A Boy From Nowhere - Tom Jones

It was still dark when Blake stepped out of her house, dressed and prepared for the usual daily grind. Adam was already waiting for her in his car, pulled up at the curb and casually scrolling through something on his phone. Blake hesitated, gripping the brown jacket that she had impulsively worn. He would notice. He had to notice.

A buzzing in her pocket prompted her to pull out her own phone, her ears tilting curiously when she saw she had two new messages. Ilia was unlikely to be fully capable of conversation this early and Adam was right in front of her. Blake felt a smile come to her lips as process of elimination left only Yang. Her message contained a simple good morning followed with " _Did you sleep ok_?"

**Yes, Yang. I slept fine.**

Blake took a calming breath before approaching the car, feigning a smile as she got inside. Adam quickly put aside his phone and gave her his full attention. She didn't have enough energy to worry about both of them at the same time. Yang could wait.

"Good morning, Blake." Adam greeted her with a hint of a smile, the most she ever got from him. "Did you sleep well?" He was at least trying to be civil, that alone made this easier.

"I slept alright." She answered as she pulled the seatbelt across her. Adam didn't start the car and when Blake glanced his way she saw his expression conflicted. She didn't ask. She knew better than to ask.

After a moment he sighed heavily and dragged a hand through his hair. "Listen...Blake, I'm..." He growled in frustration, clearly hesitant to say what was on his mind. "... _sorry_. About yesterday. I wasn't thinking and I pushed you too hard." He explained. "This week has just been very stressful." He added in defense.

"It's fine." It wasn't. It wasn't fine at all. She just didn't want to argue. Not today. She dipped her face behind the collar of Yang's jacket, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart. It still smelled like citrus shampoo, vanilla perfume, and the natural scent that she couldn't get out of her head.

"That's a new jacket." Adam commented, running his hand over her arm. Blake tensed and looked away, shutting her eyes as if not being able to see it would make it go away. "When did you get it?" Blake was silent, not wanting to lie but knowing that the truth wouldn't help. "Don't ignore me. It's rude."

"I got it yesterday." She grumbled, turning her head to gaze out the window. Her phone buzzed in her pocket a few more times, but she ignored it. "Start the car, Adam. We're going to be late."

"Alright. No need to get snippy."

  
-/-/-/-/-/-

Yang had left her window open. That was the first thought of the day as she was waken by quacking ducks and shouting. "Zwei! Get back here!" She easily recognized her father's voice, accompanied with frenzied barking. Yang groaned as she reluctantly sat up, stretching her arms over her head with a small, satisfied huff. She swung her legs over to step onto the floor, cool wood paneling quickly making her miss the warmth of her blanket.

She checked the time on her phone and sighed when she saw how early it was. 5:28 in the morning. Just a few minutes before her alarm. She hadn't got much sleep since she had gotten home after ten, but Yang supposed it was worth it. She was able to help Blake and that was worth the three hours of sleep she lost.

Yang did her morning stretches before getting dressed. A white tank top with a red flannel over it, a pair of faded denim shorts, and that silly keychain that her dad had bought her when she came out. The bright pink, yellow, and blue definitely stood out, but the only people who'd recognize them are _her_  people. She stepped out into the hall to hopefully claim the bathroom before her sister did. Luckily it seemed that Ruby hadn't even gotten out of bed yet. Not that it was really a surprise.

Breakfast was on the table by the time Yang got downstairs, consisting of eggs, toast, and sausage. Her father had made it clear from a young age that breakfast was _the_ most important meal and Yang certainly wouldn't argue with him if it meant he cooked for them every morning. She sat down just as her dad came back inside, the small dog trotting happily beside him. He walked over to the kitchen counter that held the coffee machine, filling a mug that declared "#1 DAD". He had gotten it for Father's Day six years ago.

"Is your sister up yet?" He asked, fully expecting the laugh and shake of her head. "That girl, I swear. It's almost six, she might not have time for breakfast if she takes much longer." He paused to take a sip of his coffee before walking over to the table. "After today you've got practice next Friday, by the way." He reminded her as he picked a sausage link off of her plate.

"Seriously? That's the day of the pep rally. Everyone's gonna be exhausted!" She argued, annoyed with the thought of yet another thing to stress her out. The past two years she had come _so_  close to winning championship rounds, so her dad was sure to be pushing her this year.

"Believe it or not, Yang, I don't control the schedules. I'm an _assistant_  coach." He reminded her with a small laugh. His attention shifted behind her, his smile widening. "There's my little flower! How'd you sleep?" Yang glanced behind her to see her sister yawning, still dressed in her pajamas.

"I slept just fine, dad." She answered with a small roll of her eyes, simply amused that he would bother to ask. Ruby sat next to her older sister, eagerly digging into breakfast.

"Hey, I talked to Qrow about getting you on the team. He told me you did great at try outs and he'd love to have a speed demon like you." Taiyang mentioned, playfully ruffling Ruby's hair. Her expression immediately brightened.

"Really?" She asked with a wide grin and excited eyes. She turned to her sister, excitedly pulling on her arm. "Yang! I'm gonna be on the track team! Yes!" She squealed and bounced in her seat, making Yang laugh.

"Come on, did you really think Uncle Qrow would ever turn you down?" Yang asked with an amused smile. Ruby acknowledged that with a laugh and "yeah, okay" before returning her attention to breakfast.

"So, Yang, where did you go last night?" Taiyang asked without the typical suspicion a parent might have. He was simply curious, if a bit concerned.

"Oh, uh..." Yang hesitated and took a long sip of the orange juice beside her plate. "A friend of mine needed help." She answered vaguely, not wanting to divulge Blake's personal problems to her father. It wasn't as though she needed to anyway. Still, her father raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Like, _personal_  help, dad."

"Okay." He raised his hand defensively. Soon a smile crossed his lips. "I'm glad your friend felt like they could talk to you. That means you're a good friend, which means I'm a good dad." He laughed, though he was only partially joking.

"Hey, you're a _great_  dad!" Ruby encouraged. Yang excused herself from the table after finishing and left the dishes in the sink before heading to the front hall. She and Ruby would have to leave soon if they wanted to catch the bus, not that Ruby was close to being ready. It was barely ten minutes before Ruby came running to the front door, fully dressed and ready to leave.

Yang pulled out her phone as they walked down the sidewalk, feeling a surge of courage as she texted Blake something _not_  related to class. She wasn't sure if that would annoy her, but fortune favored the bold. Besides, it was just a good morning text. Well, that and a concerned one asking if she had slept alright. The single question sparked many more in Yang's mind, but she didn't ask any of them. Most were ones better left in Yang's head.

She felt a weight slide off her shoulders when Blake told her that, yes, she had slept just fine. Yang glanced over when Ruby gasped at something and saw her pointing down the road with a panicked look in her eyes. Their bus had just pulled onto the street and was about to stop.

"Crap!" Yang grabbed her sister's hand and dashed to the bus stop with the future track star stumbling behind her. "This is why you need to wake up on time!" Yang scolded her as they barely reached the bus on time, the driver chuckling good-naturedly at the young women's misfortune.

They sat beside each other and Yang immediately pulled out her phone to reply to Blake's message. She joked about how her sister had made them nearly miss the bus before a small part of her urged her to speak truthfully, to say what was really on her mind.

-/-/-/-/-/-

_**I know it's not really my place, but maybe you should stay away from Adam for a while?** _

Blake sighed and returned her phone to her pocket. Yang was right; it wasn't her place to tell Blake how to handle this. Still, Blake knew that she was only trying to help and her heart was in the right place. Maybe that was it. Maybe Blake's heart was in the wrong place. Maybe all those things her old friends had said were true. Adam used to tell her that they were all just jealous that she had found love when they hadn't, but...maybe he had _lied_.

She groaned and lowered her head onto her desk, not wanting to deal with all of it. She just wished everything could be normal again. She wished her and Adam could be a normal couple that didn't have this... _imbalance_ between them. It wasn't like he was always like that, though. It was just...the stress of senior year was getting to him. That was probably it. He was just worried about his future and the stress was bothering him, making him lash out.

"You okay?" Blake's ears twitched at the sound of a familiar voice and she lifted her head to look Ilia in the eye. The only friend that didn't abandon her when Adam disapproved of them. Then again, maybe that was because Adam actually liked Ilia.

"Not really." She answered honestly. Ilia grimaced and sat at the desk beside her, concern clear in her eyes.

"Is it Adam?" She asked softly, as if worried that such a simple question wasn't allowed to be asked. Blake's ears curved back and she lowered her head again to hide any tears. She felt Ilia's hand on her back, swiping back and forth to comfort her. "He texted me yesterday, saying something happened. He didn't tell me what, though."

"It wasn't a big deal." Blake lied. "I just overreacted." Another lie. Ilia could tell, but she didn't push like Yang would have. She didn't try to cross a boundary for the sake of friendship. She was too scared, not nearly as brave or foolhardy as Yang.

Or maybe it was because she knew Adam too well.

"Just...remember that I'm always here for you, Blake." She smiled at Ilia's assurances, visibly brightening her dark expression.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Yang sat next to her sister on the bench beside the school's outdoor track, watching the girls run laps. Their Uncle Qrow shouted at the track girls to push them further, encouraging them to test their limits. Ruby leaned forward in her seat with excited eyes, shamelessly admiring the speed these girls were running at. Qrow blew his whistle and all the girls gathered around him, panting with exhaustion.

"Alright ladies, we've got a rookie over here. Freshman." Qrow gestured over his shoulder at Ruby, who tensed as everyone glanced over at her. Qrow turned to her with a vague smile of support. "Come and introduce yourself, kiddo." Ruby hesitated and Yang laughed as she urged her little sister to stand. She stumbled before finding her place beside Qrow.

"Uh...m-my name is Ruby." She stammered and anxiously brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. A girl in the front squealed, her green eyes shimmering with adoration.

"You're so cute!" Another girl enthused, ginger hair bobbing as she bounced excitedly. "Can I adopt you?"

"Um...sure?" Ruby shrugged with an embarrassed smile. As unused to the attention as she was, Yang knew she was happy to be so readily accepted onto the team.

"Sensational!" The older girl exclaimed. "My name is Penny!" She declared with an extended hand. Ruby hesitantly shook it. Penny then pulled closer a taller girl with bright red hair and green eyes to her side, startling the poor girl. "This is Pyrrha!" Pyrrha offered a wave. "Anyone gives you a hard time come to us and we'll set them straight!" Suddenly every girl was introducing themselves, quickly overwhelming the poor freshman.

"Enough socializing! All of you go get a drink and show me five more laps!" Qrow shouted, ushering the girls away towards the water fountains nearby. Ruby stayed and looked at Qrow expectantly. He gave an amused scoff. "What are you waiting around for, kiddo? The team is over there." Her expression brightened and she quickly ran off to catch up with the other girls. Qrow smiled and glanced at Yang, raising an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be practicing with your dad?" He asked with a smirk.

"He let me take a break, to make sure Ruby settled in alright." She answered him, echoing that same smirk. He hummed and shoved his hands in his pockets, his posture slouching without the need to keep up professional appearances.

"You're just as protective as Tai." He chuckled. Yang rolled her eyes and stood from the bench, grabbing her sports bag from the ground beside it. "Make sure to remind him that Glynda is preparing a coach meeting. He has a habit of forgetting those."

"You mean Ms Goodwitch?" Qrow rolled his eyes and nodded. "Yeah, sure. I'll remind him." With that she headed off, waving "see you later" to Ruby as she passed by the team.

 

Shouting was coming from the wrestling room as Yang approached and she quickly recognized her father's voice. It wasn't often that he got mad so she must have missed something serious.

"How many times do I have to explain it to you, Morado!? It's simple!" Coach Xiao-Long stood aside from the practice mats, arms crossed over his chest and staring down a specific pair. "This is why we can't get championships! You rookies are at a middle school level! Step it up!"

"Dad, chill." His eyes snapped to her and he paused before taking a deep breath. He unlaced his arms and shrugged off his frustrations, shaking his head.

"I realize I'm being harsh, but clearly the nice coach strategy isn't working out." He said with a growl. "If we don't get championships this year, Ozpin and Goodwitch are gonna be on my ass for the next five years." He scowled. "Why are they even paying me if our team is mediocre at best?"

"Our team's not that bad. We'll get championships. Don't stress yourself out, okay?" Yang assured him, gripping his arm in attempt to calm him. He glanced at her before his gaze shifted to the floor. "How about after practice we go get some ice cream or something? I'm sure Ruby will appreciate it after track." His expression lifted just a bit before he turned to her with a smile.

"I am so lucky that you're my daughter." He chuckled as he gave her a light noogie. "Best thing that ever happened to me."

"Happy accident, right?" Yang joked, giving her old man a jab in the ribs. He laughed and playfully pushed her away.

"You're more than just an accident, little dragon. Now go get changed and find a partner." Yang chuckled and walked away to the locker rooms, setting her bag down on a bench once inside. The room was stuffy, caused by the lack of windows and proper ventilation.

She slipped her phone out of her pocket and set it down on the bench before starting to undress, slipping off her flannel and folding it before placing it down on the bench. She had just unbuttoned her shorts when her phone started buzzing, sliding on the bench from the strong vibrations. Then the music tone started playing and she quickly picked it up, answering the call.

" _I didn't catch you at a bad time, did I_?" Yang scoffed, grinning at the sound of Blake's voice. With Mr Port's long lecture and Blake's habit of running off without a word, Yang hadn't spoken to her at all today. " _I know you have practice sometimes, but I don't really know your schedule_..."

"Not at all. I'm completely free." Yang assured her as she sat down on the bench, lying through her teeth. Her dad wouldn't be happy about her skipping practice, but she could manage to earn his forgiveness. He had a soft side for cheesy mugs.

" _Good_." Yang frowned when she noticed the odd waver in Blake's voice, which was already as soft as a whisper. " _I, um...I'm sorry to bother you. I just_..." She cleared her throat and Yang tensed when she heard a different voice on the line, vague with barely distinguishable words. " _Blake! Have you found one yet_?"

"Is that Adam?" The question came out harsher than Yang had intended. She could feel the anger rising in her chest with all the things that crossed her mind as to what he had meant. She could hear Blake's sharp gasp, an extremely disconcerting constriction in her chest when she heard her call back " _they're around here somewhere_ ". "You sound occupied." Yang snapped inadvertently.

" _What? Oh, no, it's fine_." Blake lied, the deception so painfully obvious that it only angered Yang more. " _I just...wanted to hear your voice_." Suddenly, with a single bashful declaration Yang felt her anger subsiding. Her eyes softened, not that Blake was in any position to notice. " _I got so used to you pestering me that it was strange not to hear it all day_." She forced a laugh.

"Blake?" Yang felt the tight knot of anxiety in her chest, her desire to come clean so much stronger with the small hum of acknowledgement. It was so frustrating, to be completely honest, that such a small gesture made such a big difference. It wasn't the time. It just felt like it was _never_ the time. "Take care of yourself, okay?" Her words were answered with a long pause before Blake sighed.

" _Yeah. I'll be fine_." She hung up and Yang was forced to settle with the silence, the anger slowly returning the longer she stewed in her self destructive thoughts. Imagining what Adam was doing to that angel killed her in so many ways. Yang stood from the bench with a frustrated growl and met eyes with her reflection in the nearby mirror.

Red like her mother's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy I'm actually bothering with the regular upload thing again WOO


	6. Wrap Your Love Around Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey kudos to my friend (Yes I'm calling you out) for reading my trash and giving me not just feedback but also inspiration. You go, bud!  
> Also this might be a little rough because it was just a touch rushed. But you can be sure I ain't going back and fixing it :D
> 
> Chapter title is from Lady Lay Down-Tom Jones
> 
> (Also my friend and I made an over dramatic bee shit post check it out)  
> https://youtu.be/0PYDyuuKQGA

Blake could feel Yang's leg bouncing anxiously against hers as Mr Port began passing out the final essay grades. The seats were so close together that it was hard not to invade each other's personal space. Yang rested her head in her hand, holding it over her mouth in attempt to hide her smile. She was failing, obviously, but Blake was more confused why she was smiling in the first place. Blake herself was anxious to see what her grade was, but that was certainly no call for a smile. She was sure she and Yang had worked well together, but they had also gotten distracted countless times when working.

"Great job on the presentation, girls!" Mr Port enthused as he passed their essays back, both bearing As. "I'm impressed you two managed to work so well together! Opposites attract, eh?" He added with a chuckle. Blake's expression tightened when she noticed Yang's smile grow a tad brighter, accompanied with a dumb giggle.

"We have more in common than you'd think, Mr Port." Yang told him, glancing discreetly to Blake. The faunus smiled at that, reminded of their several late night conversations over text.

"Well, I'm glad you two became fast friends." He encouraged before continuing through the class. Yang grabbed her essay and turned to Blake, smiling as she pointed to the A in bold red.

"And you doubted us." Blake frowned, raising a brow. "I could tell you were nervous from the way you were squirming in your seat." Yang clarified, her eyes alight with mischief.

"You're one to talk with that leg." Blake scoffed. The blonde glanced away with a bashful smile. Blake's own smile faded and she turned away, uncertainty gripping her chest. "I guess now we don't really have an excuse to hang out."

"Since when do we need one?" Yang asked her with a curious look. Blake hesitated with her answer. For a month now she had only been able to justify this friendship with their project, but now there was no real reason for her to spend time with a human. She had nothing to tell Adam and Ilia except that she genuinely enjoyed Yang's company, but that wasn't good enough, was it? "Hey, a few of my friends are coming over to my place this Friday. You can come too and meet them."

"I don't know..." Blake knew Yang's friends were bound to be human just like her. She wasn't sure she had ever been the only faunus in a crowd. "Won't I stand out?" Yang's eyes widened, immediately understanding what she was really asking.

"Oh, no, don't even worry about that, Blake." Yang assured her as she grabbed the back of Blake's chair. "My friends aren't..." She laughed and shrugged. "I mean, Coco is _dating_ a faunus, so I doubt _she'll_ care."

"Really?" Blake's ears perked in surprise. She had never known a faunus to be interested in any human, but she supposed that it couldn't be that uncommon. Then again, humans often found the animal traits of a faunus incredibly unattractive, as far as Blake knew. "A human and a faunus?" She muttered in disbelief. Yang's expression suddenly changed, a flash of recognition in her eyes before she distanced herself.

"I guess there is still kind of a stigma around it or whatever, but if you like someone then why should it matter if they've got an extra set of ears?" Blake could see the disappointment in her eyes, the shame, even as she tried to hide it behind a smile.

"I think that's admirable of you." Blake admitted, a small smile tugging on the edge of her lips. Yang hummed and when Blake met her eyes they were once again filled with adoration and excitement. "So many humans are repulsed by our animal traits." She sighed.

"Well, I think your ears are cute."

"And others fetishize them." Blake added with a cold glare. Yang's smile vanished. "I know you didn't mean anything by it, but honestly it's better to never hear anything about my ears. Sometimes I'd like to forget that they exist." Yang's expression softened, that same worried look in her eyes that she'd had a few days ago.

"But they're a part of you."

"You wouldn't understand." Blake told her firmly, turning away and leaning her head into her hand. She felt Yang's hand brush her shoulder, but ultimately pull away.

They didn't speak again for the rest of class.

Blake quickly packed her bags when the bell rang after what felt like an eternity. She had never known how hard it was to sit next to Yang in complete silence. It was like she was in quicksand up to her chest and she couldn't breathe, like everything around her was going too fast and too slow at the same time. With her faunus hearing she could hear every breath that Yang took, including every sharp intake whenever their legs brushed. There was too much going on in her head, too many things happening all at once. She needed to leave.

Blake pushed through the doorway, not caring to apologize to the other students she forced past. She could hear Yang call out to her, a rushed apology following soon after. Blake turned the corner into the hallway where Ilia waited, relief settling over her. All she wanted was for things to go back to normal.

"Hey! Come on!" Yang grabbed her wrist and she turned around, a sudden wash of anger filling her. Yang's eyes softened when she noticed it and Blake hesitated. "I just...I wanted to apologize. For...you know." She scratched the back of her head, looking away. "I shouldn't have said anything. So...I'm sorry." Her shoulders slumped as she dropped her arms back to her sides.

"Just...forget about it." Blake turned away, meeting Ilia's gaze. Her concerned gaze hardened as she glanced to Yang, protectively taking Blake's arm and walking with her towards the cafeteria. Blake didn't look back. She didn't know if she could.

-/-/-/-/-

Blake always hated the noise. The crowds too. The chanting, the arguing, the screaming. Still, the overwhelming energy of being part of a cohesive group was addictive. Then again, they had been here for hours already and a part of Blake just wanted it to be over with. Adam was holding her hand tightly, raising it to the air as he chanted along with the others. Ilia had a hand on her shoulder, grinning as she reveled in the same energy that filled Blake. Times like these Blake truly felt close to them, like the three of them could take on the world together.

A canine faunus climbed onto a bench outside the restaurant, raising his hands in the air. He shouted about the owners banning faunus from eating there and calling the authorities on any faunus that "loitered" nearby. They had gone through loopholes so this was not necessarily illegal, hence the protest. A scaled faunus joined him, shouting about the disgraceful way her children had been treated time and again. Embarrassing. Shameful. All the words that Blake had been hearing her entire life.

Angry shouting came from a small ways down the street and though Blake couldn't see, she could hear people arguing and one person shouting for people to disperse. A police officer. There was clearly more than one as the crowd of faunus was forced aside to reveal three officers with their hands hovering over their pistols. They were expecting things to turn sour at any moment.

"Step aside! This is a disorderly gathering and we have authorization to use force!" The shouting didn't die down; these threats only made the crowd angrier. Adam put an arm in front of her, urging her behind him as the officers advanced. "We are giving you an order to disperse! Comply or we will use force!"

"This is a peaceful protest!" Ilia shouted as she too stepped in front of Blake. "You have no right to be threatening us!"

"I gave you animals an order!" The head officer shouted as he raised his gun to the air. The entire crowd flinched and so easily the shouting died down into worried murmurs. The human smirked, clearly proud of himself for the successful display of power. "Now get the hell off this street before I call in backup!" He demanded, firing a shot into the air. Most of the crowd scrambled, fearing for their own safety.

Adam refused to move even a step, holding his ground as the leading officer stepped towards them. Their glares clashed against each other, both of them amazing examples of stubbornness and hatred. The officer scoffed and shifted his hat, his eyes glancing to Adam's horns.

"How old are you, kid?"

"None of your damn business."

"I'd ditch the attitude if I were you." The man warned, his eyes narrowing. He glanced to Blake and Ilia before stepping back with a shrug. "Go home, kid. Before you get hurt." Adam growled and took a step forward as the officer turned his back, but Blake quickly held him back. He turned to her in surprise before frowning deeply.

"Let's just go." She urged him away and he reluctantly obliged, letting Blake lead him by his hand. She let out a sigh of relief, so grateful that no one had gotten hurt. The protest had been a bust, just like the last three. The authorities were really starting to bother now; they must feel threatened with the sudden surge in faunus activists, including the newly blossoming White Fang.

"Are you okay?" Ilia asked as they reached the end of the block, crossing the street together. Blake softly shook her head and grabbed Ilia's hand, walking with the both of them on either side of her.

"I'm just tired of feeling so scared all the time." She could feel Ilia's grip tighten and glanced her way. She didn't say anything, but Blake could see the anger in her eyes. Blake's phone buzzed and she pulled her hand away from Ilia to check it. It was Yang, reminding her that the offer to hang out was still on the table. She sighed and sank into her jacket, the faint scent tickling her nose. Adam suddenly stopped, prompting the girls to do the same.

"Ilia, go home. I need to speak with Blake." There was an underlying warning in his eyes and Ilia didn't question him. She placed a hand on Blake's shoulder, gave her a small nod, and turned to leave. Adam watched her before turning to Blake as soon as she was out of earshot. "Sooner or later the humans will push back, harder than ever." Blake's ears lowered as she turned to him, shame filling her and weighing her down.

"I know. When that happens we need to be able to count on each other." She insisted, already knowing what he would ask of her.

"Exactly, Blake. We can't afford to doubt ourselves, to second guess what we're fighting for." He clenched a fist proudly, his gaze hardening. "We must be resolute." He glanced down at her jacket, his expression growing cautious. "Which is why I need to know that your human friend isn't going to be a thorn in my side any longer."

"Yang?" Blake instinctively tightened the jacket around her. "You don't need to worry about it, Adam. She's-"

"Human." He interrupted her with a harsh reminder. "Which means she cannot be trusted." Blake shook her head as if that would make him take it back. Yang was so kind and genuine, but...she didn't understand the faunus. Blake didn't know what to think anymore. "If I didn't say anything it would feel like I was betraying you, Blake. Growing so close to a human is like denying who you are, and I won't just stand by and do nothing like your parents have."

"I-I never told you to!" Blake insisted, turning away with a frustrated sigh. "I just...it's so hard to imagine her doing _anything_  to hurt me, Adam, she's so _nice_ , and..." _I_ _care about her_.

"We both know that she doesn't really _care_! She looks at you and sees nothing more than a pet, a house cat to be toyed with!" He snapped before suddenly reigning himself in. "I only want what's best for you, Blake." Adam spoke softly as he lifted a hand to her cheek. "Sometimes sacrifices have to be made." She leaned into his touch and let herself relax, her eyes meeting his like the sun shining on ocean waves. She let herself smile, reaching to place her hand over his.

"I know." She glanced away, momentarily wondering how the hell she'd get out of this. "I'll stop talking to her." It was such a blatant lie, and straight to his face without a single stammer. It almost made her wonder when she had gotten so good at it. Adam didn't notice, the relieved smile on his face every indication that he believed her.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Blake sat up in the back of the bleachers, frowning as she texted Ilia. Adam had left school without her, leaving her stuck attending the pep rally and completely disregarding her sensitive ears. He told her he had things to do, but that still wasn't any excuse to leave Blake alone. He knew that Ilia wouldn't be there, but he certainly didn't seem to care. Students had started to pile in, most snagging seats in the front bleachers and a few rows above. Blake flattened her ears as the band moved their instruments in, the clashing of cymbals making her ears ring.

"Hey there." Blake curiously glanced up at the unfamiliar voice, immediately noticing Yang standing behind this person, awkwardly rubbing her neck. The person who had requested her attention was a girl with short brown hair underneath a beret, copper colored extension hanging in front of her face as she eyed Blake behind aviator sunglasses. "You mind if my friend and I sit with you?"

"There are plenty of empty seats." Blake gestured to the empty upper bleachers with a frown. The girl either didn't notice what Blake was implying, or simply didn't care, because she grabbed Yang's arm and urged her to take a seat.

"My name's Coco." The brunette introduced herself with a playful smile that contained more confidence than Blake had ever seen in Yang. She recognized the name; Coco was the one dating a faunus. "My useless friend and I thought you might need some company up here." She said with a vague gesture towards Yang.

"You seem upset about something, so I wanted to take your mind off of it." Yang explained with that insufferable smile. Blake turned away from her, shame tearing her in two opposite directions. Yang's presence did nothing to help the constant debate in her head as to whether or not she should listen to Adam's advice.

"Velvet!" Coco's voice interrupted her thoughts and Blake saw her waving someone over, her expression considerably brighter than the casual demeanor she had just shown. Blake looked to see who Coco had invited over to join the growing crowd around her, immediately noticing the large ears atop the girl's head.

"I'm glad I found you, Coco." Velvet admitted with relief as she reached them, an easy smile on her face. Her large rabbit ears drooped a bit as she continued unsurely, fidgeting with her sleeve. "I was worried I'd have to sit alone." She sat beside Coco and next to Blake, effectively separating the two.

"Glad to have you, honey bun." Coco purred as she leaned against Velvet's shoulder. Blake frowned and glanced to Yang with an expression she hoped would spell out the question for her. _This was the faunus Coco was dating_? Yang apparently understood perfectly and snickered before nodding. Blake turned back to them, attempting to at least stare discreetly. It was so uncommon to see two women together, let alone a faunus and human. It was just about unheard of.

"You know, I wasn't sure you'd be here." Yang spoke up, pulling Blake's attention away from the unconventional couple. "With all the noise I figured..." Yang trailed off, looking away to avoid meeting Blake's eyes. Blake assumed that now she wasn't sure if she was allowed to reference the ears at all, thanks to their argument last week. She felt awful knowing that she was the one making Yang lose her usual confidence.

"I wasn't planning on it." Blake told her with a shrug. "I just don't have a ride anymore." Yang frowned at that, concern in her eyes as she just slightly leaned closer. "And you don't have to be so scared about mentioning my ears, Yang." Blake continued before she could ask the question undoubtedly on her mind. "I was being unreasonable."

"No, it's fine, Blake." Yang assured her. "I totally understand why you'd-"

"Yang." Blake interrupted her before she could get any further. She was lying and Blake couldn't stand that. "I shouldn't have snapped at you because of a compliment. I was comparing you to people who are just trash and that's unfair." She must have been crazy for all the dashing thoughts that crossed her mind. "I know you didn't mean any harm." _I know you meant what you said_.

Blake's racing thoughts of self doubt and denial were cut short by a sharp horn blast and drums as the pep rally abruptly started with great energy. She winced and lowered her ears watching helplessly as the rest of the student body danced as the band team continued to play. She could see Velvet holding down her ears, though she was smiling and clearly enjoying the cacophony. Yang's hand behind her made her jump, turning to the blonde with a harsh glare. She was saying something, Blake could tell that much, but she couldn't hear her over all the other noises.

After several fruitless attempts Yang rolled her eyes, a hint of amusement in them as she gestured for Blake to follow her. She did, carefully following her down the steps and shamefully walking in front of everyone to leave the gymnasium. Yang led her out into the hall, the music now muffled behind heavy doors. Blake allowed herself to remove her hands from over her ears. Yang stood there with her hands on her hips, her amused smile never ceasing as she softly shook her head.

"You okay?" She asked, taking a small step forward. Blake felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment and she looked away, anxiously gripping her arm.

"I'll be fine, so you can go back." Blake told her, glancing up to see Yang moving closer. She hated the way her chest tightened, as if she expected something.

"Blake, I love pep rallies, but it's pretty much the same thing that I've seen for the past three years." Yang assured her with a surprisingly soft voice, her eyes saying so much more than her words. " _You're more important_ ", they practically screamed. "Do you want a ride home?" Yang offered with a small shrug and a shy smile.

"I...thanks." Blake flinched when Yang brushed past her, turning and quickly following after her. Yang casually held her arms behind her head, shifting her shirt up just enough to reveal a slimmer of skin; just enough for Blake to notice. "M-My locker isn't far from here." She declared, stammering a bit as she tried to ignore her flushing cheeks.

Blake noticed that she took longer than usual with the combination. She couldn't focus properly, overly aware of Yang watching her with such a genuine look that Blake wasn't sure she had even seen from Adam. Blake pulled out her bag and jacket before shutting the locker, forcing herself to take a breath. She glanced to Yang as she slipped the jacket on, immediately noticing the wide eyed look she was being given.

"That's...my jacket." Yang muttered, color filling her cheeks the longer she stared. Blake froze, her heart pounding in her ears as she struggled to find something to say. _Anything_.

"Did...you want it back?" No, no, that was such a stupid thing to say. Yang had told her to keep it and she wasn't the kind of person to go back on something like that. Besides, Blake wasn't sure she'd even _want_  to give it back.

"What? No. No, I...I gave it to you because I want you to have it. I just...wasn't expecting to see you wear it." Yang admitted, suddenly looking away and rubbing her neck again. She scoffed and shook her head. "Which is _stupid_ , but-" She stopped herself and her eyes couldn't settle on one thing, as if she was physically looking for something to say. "Sorry. You like it, then?" Blake smiled and tightened the collar around her, though the comforting smells had begun to fade.

"It makes me feel safe." Blake admitted softly. "And it's comfy and warm." _It's almost like you're hugging me_. They had never hugged, had they? Blake didn't actually know what it was like to hug Yang. She seemed like she'd be a good hugger.

"Oh. Well, I'm glad." Blake wondered if Yang knew that she had stepped closer, that her cheeks were growing red. Blake looked away with a frown as Adam's words from the other day came back to her. She couldn't have these sorts of moments with Yang anymore. At least, not at school where he would find out.

"Yang, we can't be friends anymore."

"What?" Yang's eyes widened in surprise before suddenly narrowing in anger. "Because of Adam?"

"No, I mean, people can't know we're friends. Yes, because of Adam." Blake quickly explained, desperate to get her point across as fast as possible. She wanted to spare herself the lingering doubts she still had. She couldn't afford to second guess herself, just like Adam said. She needed to trust her instinct. "He thinks you're no good for me because you're human, but I don't _care_  what he thinks! Yang, I want to keep spending time with you, even if I have to lie to him."

"Hey, hey, slow down." Yang reached out for her shoulders, holding them tightly to capture the entirety of Blake's attention. Those soft purple eyes made Blake feel like she might get lost in them and never find her way back out. "You're asking me to secretly be your friend? Why can't you just tell him?"

"I know it's stupid, but you don't understand." Blake pushed Yang's arms away from her, gripping the sleeves of the jacket as she crossed her arms. "You don't know what he's like. He thinks I'm betraying the faunus just by associating myself with you. Imagine if he..." She hesitated, knowing what she wanted to say but not knowing the words. "...imagine if he knew how close we'd gotten."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yang's voice was hesitant, her eyes searching for something Blake wasn't sure she would find.

"I trust you, Yang. Against my better judgement, I trust you _so much_." Blake felt the tightness in her chest lessen just a small amount as she blathered on, spilling her thoughts so freely as Yang simply listened. "Adam told me himself that I shouldn't doubt myself. So I'm not doubting that little inkling thought that says that I need you in my life. Everything has been so much brighter with you, even with Adam breathing down my neck. I don't want things to go back to the way they were." She hardly even noticed the tears until Yang was wiping them away and pulling her into a hug.

Blake's whole body tensed before slowly relaxing against her, her arms hesitantly wrapping around Yang to return the embrace. In a single brash moment she turned her head into the crook of Yang's neck, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Blake could smell her perfume and shampoo, the same addictively sweet scent that had since faded from the jacket. She must have breathed too deep because her head was spinning.

"I care about Adam, but I don't want to lose you either. Please don't make me choose." She was being selfish, she knew that. Then again, if she could have them both then she didn't really give a damn.

"I...I won't, Blake. I don't want to lose you either." Yang held her tighter, as if scared that if she let go she would never get another chance. Blake didn't mind. She was warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also! I'm curious, which point of view do you find more enjoyable; Blake or Yang? I'll continue writing from both, as I immensely enjoy writing both the self discovery and the useless gay, but I would love to hear what all of you think!
> 
> Also I realize now that my timeline is royally messed up. Let me fix that when it's not one in the morning.


	7. Something is Burning Inside

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG GUYS  
> I may or may not have bought a Rooster Teeth First membership purely because of RWBY. I could not stand idly by and watch the gay happen without being a witness myself! No spoilers, don't worry (and no gay actually happened, calm your quaking hearts), but my dudes I am soooo excited! It's pretty much all I've been talking about for months!
> 
> Chapter title is from Love Me Tonight - Tom Jones

Blake sat in a worryingly unstable rocking chair on the patio of the Xiao-Long home. It was surreal, actually, to be at Yang's house for the first time. The two of them had spent countless hours together outside of school, be it through texting or phone calls or study sessions, but neither of them had yet been to the other's own home. Blake hadn't been prepared for Yang to meet her... _eccentric_  parents, so the blonde was first to bite the bullet. Unfortunately, Yang had forgotten her key and now they were stuck outside on the patio with Ruby until the girls' father came home.

Ruby clicked her tongue and swung her legs from the railing she was precariously perched on, leaning against the support pillar for better stability as she swung them farther. Yang sat on the bench next to Blake, occupied with her phone to stave off boredom. The silence between the three was excruciatingly uncomfortable (although it was likely only Blake believing such), but she wasn't sure how to solve it. Luckily it wasn't long before Ruby was excitedly calling out to Yang that their father was home, pointing to a dull blue pickup truck. Yang quickly put her phone away and hurried down the steps to greet him, Ruby following close behind after jumping off the railing.

Blake watched from the patio as the truck pulled into the driveway, a middle aged man with vibrantly blonde hair much like Yang's stepping out. He laughed and greeted the girls with two simultaneous side hugs, grabbing Ruby's head and mussing her black hair. Blake smiled and leaned on the railing, her ears twitching as they easily picked up the conversation.

"They said it's arthritis. It's pretty common in corgis." Their father explained to them as he went around to the other side of the truck, swinging open the door and reaching inside. Blake tensed when he came back around, holding a pet carrier that had annoyed whines of a dog coming from it. Not a dog. Anything but a dog. Why couldn't they own a cat or a hamster or even a snake?

"Poor thing!" Ruby whined as she poked a finger into the pet carrier, pouting her lips dramatically. "You'll be okay, Zwei." She assured the canine as they climbed the patio stairs.

"They gave him some medicine and told us to hope it doesn't get any worse. Not much else they can do." He added with a regretful sigh. Blake leaned back against the railing, her grip on it tight as she met eyes with their father. "Who's your friend?" He asked as he turned to Yang and Ruby, leaning down to set the carrier on the deck.

"This is Blake; we're like _this_." Yang answered with a grin as she interlocked two fingers together. "Thought I would finally introduce her to the parents." She quipped, earning a large eye roll from her younger sister. Blake found herself at a loss for words, partially from the fact that a dog was near by and bound to escape somehow, but mostly from the fact that Yang had so boldly made a relationship joke. It was meaningless and inconsequential, and yet Blake _felt_  as though it was more than that. She stiffly extended her hand in greeting and Yang's father shook it with a hearty laugh.

"It's nice to meet you, Blake. The name's Taiyang." He introduced himself with a sunny smile not unlike his daughter's, and Blake was immediately fond of him. He let go of her hand before kneeling beside the pet carrier and unlocking the latch. "Come on, Zwei!" Blake hurried backwards and lifted herself onto the railing as the dog hurried out of the carrier, barking excitedly as he ran a circle around Yang and Ruby. The three of them stared at the felid faunus in surprise and confusion, and Blake flushed with embarrassment as she very hesitantly placed a foot onto the deck.

As soon as she did, however, the dog ran towards her and tried to sniff her, and her leg was quickly lifted again to avoid contact.

"Zwei!" Yang barked the dog's name and scooped him up into her arms, resisting his wiggling. "I'm sorry, Blake. He's really friendly, I swear. Totally harmless."

"I believe you." Blake insisted, though she refused to move an inch. "I just...don't like dogs." She muttered defensively, eyeing the animal suspiciously. It cocked its head at her, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as if further proving his incapability for complex thought. This admittedly worsened her inward mocking of her own irrational fear of harmless canines.

"Don't worry. I'll take him out back." Taiyang offered as he moved to unlock the door. Blake cautiously stepped down from the rail, keeping an eye on the dog as he persistently squirmed in Yang's arm. Blake was greeted with a strong smell of the animal as well once she had stepped inside their house, though that in itself was much more bearable than the canine's presence. Ruby rushed past and dropped off her bag in their living room before hurrying up the nearby stairs, calling out dibs on the bathroom. Yang passed the dog over to her father who then left to place him in the backyard, ultimately leaving the two juniors alone.

"I, um...I like your house." Blake complimented in attempt to start conversation as they set down their school bags, admittedly having no clue what to say. Yang laughed as she slipped off her jacket and hung it on their coat rack. Blake followed her example, unfortunately parting ways with the brown leather for now. Yang started walking towards the staircase Ruby had bolted to, kicking off her shoes on the way. Blake quickly slipped off her shoes as well before following.

"Come on. Zwei has to come in eventually, but you'll be safe in my room." Yang joked, smiling when she glanced over her shoulder. Blake felt her face grow warm and glanced away unsurely. She made a conscious effort to avoid watching Yang climb the steps, instead looking at the photos that lined the walls along the stairway. Pictures of Zwei, of Yang and Ruby as young children, of Taiyang's high school days, but what made Blake stop and take a second look was a wedding photo.

"Is that your mom?" Blake asked, gesturing to the picture as if Yang wouldn't know which one she was talking about. A young woman, no older than 24, with jet black hair and shining silver eyes, stood with Taiyang, both grinning from ear to ear. She looked so similar to Ruby it was almost jarring.

"My stepmom." Yang corrected her. She stepped down a bit to come closer to Blake, pointing to a toddler in the background of the photo being held by a man with black hair. "That's me. It's all blurry, though." She shrugged and turned away, but Blake grabbed her hand to stop her. Yang barely looked at her, a guarded look in her eyes as she waited for Blake to ask.

"Where is she?" Yang sighed and rolled her shoulders before turning away and continuing her climb up the stairs. Blake followed, assuming that it was best not to push the issue. Yang turned right into her bedroom once they reached the second floor and Blake dutifully followed, flinching when the door was roughly closed behind her.

"Sorry. I just didn't want Ruby to hear." Yang apologized as she passed Blake and sat on her bed. She leaned over on her knees and took a deep breath to collect herself. "My mom died when I was six." Blake had been expecting something like that from the way she'd reacted. Still, it was hard to hear. She couldn't imagine losing one of her parents, especially at such a young age. "That's why my dad tried to bring my real mom back into our lives. He wasn't sure he could take care of us on his own." Yang added, looking up to finally meet Blake's eyes.

"Do you remember much of her? Losing a parent so young, that's..." She trailed off, anxiously grabbing her arm to remind herself that she was in no position to talk. She still had both her parents, both loving and dedicated.

"Not really." Yang admitted. "I think that's the worst part. I only remember what she looks like cause of dad's pictures." Blake certainly couldn't imagine forgetting her own mother's face. It sounded so terrible. Yang's lips pursed and she leaned back until she fell onto her bed, laying sideways with her legs dangling off the side. "But I remember enough, you know? She was awesome. She was in the military, so she was a pretty badass mom." She smiled and laughed. "I remember one time in Kindergarten; we were asked what our parents did for a living, so I said _my mom kills people_! Which was wrong, by the way-she only worked on machinery-but I _still_ remember the look on my teacher's face." Blake couldn't hide the small amused smile that crossed her lips, though it quickly faded again.

"How did she die? If you don't mind me asking." She didn't want to push in any way. She was curious, mostly out of a desire to know Yang better, but she certainly didn't want to upset her. She hadn't really experienced one of these conversations, so this was all new territory. She wanted to tread lightly.

"Some mishap, I think. I don't know." Yang sat up suddenly, curiosity in her eyes. "What about your parents? No tragic tale, I'm assuming?" Her smile caught Blake off guard considering the nature of their conversation, but it wasn't something she would point out so quickly.

"No, no. They're both faunus." Blake mentioned, as though that was an important detail. She scolded herself for it; she shouldn't feel the need to say it like it's a warning. "I'm an only child, so my parents tended to spoil me a bit when I was little. My father's a lawyer and my mother's a nanny around our neighborhood." Blake listed off facts as though this was trivia fun facts, though she assured herself that Yang did genuinely care.

"Only in your neighborhood?" She asked curiously.

"That's where most faunus live." Blake answered, though from Yang's confused expression she expected that wasn't enough explanation. "Humans won't hire faunus to watch their children." She added softly. Yang's face fell, her small smile gone in an instant and she turned away in shame or embarrassment or something similar.

"Oh." She rubbed her neck awkwardly before giving a defeated sigh. "I'm sorry, Blake. I'm just...I guess I'm just not used to facing the fact that faunus have it so hard. I never noticed because I never had any reason to, and I feel awful about that." Blake simply admired the fact that she so readily admitted her fault of ignorance; she didn't need to apologize for it.

"Don't beat yourself up over it." Blake told her as she took a step forward, thoughtlessly pushing Yang's hair back and tilting her head. "You never noticed because of the environment you grew up in, but you're not a hateful person, Yang. You're alone with a faunus in your own home and yet that doesn't even occur to you because you don't think of me any differently." Yang's face grew red and she nodded slowly. Blake wasn't certain Yang even noticed herself leaning into her touch.

"Y-Yeah. We're alone, but..." Yang suddenly looked away and pulled away Blake's hands, keeping them in her own grip. "I just wish I could fix the world for you, Blake. I know what it's like to be judged for something you can't change, something you were born with. It's not exactly the same, but..." Blake frowned, wondering what she could possibly be talking about. Yang met her eyes, resolute. "I like girls."

....

"What?" Blake abruptly found her voice, though it didn't quite sound like it usually did. She pulled her hands away more so out of surprise than any feeling of disgust or offense. She took a step back and Yang stood, but did not come closer.

"I like girls. As in I find girls attractive, I would date a girl, yaddah yaddah yaddah." Yang babbled anxiously, gesturing her words with her hands and moving them in a circular motion. "I also like boys, but that's not exactly the controversial part of my sexuality." She laughed awkwardly and glanced up at Blake with a strong fear in her eyes. "So...I like girls." She reiterated when Blake remained silent. "I just...I wasn't sure if you knew. Then again, pretty much the whole school knows by now. That's what happens when you're popular, I guess." Yang suddenly stopped herself, deciding instead to wait for Blake to speak.

"You...like girls?" Blake echoed the previous statement, further solidifying it in her mind. Yang nodded, knowing better than to start blabbering on again. Blake was more shocked by the sudden realization that _this_ must have been why Adam was so hostile since the very beginning. If most people at school knew of this then surely Adam would, and knowing him he had probably felt unreasonably threatened when Blake started spending time with Yang. He had been _jealous_ , that was all "Okay." Blake nodded vaguely, unsure how to respond to the dramatic confession.

"Okay?" Yang raised a brow, confused by the response. "So you don't care?"

"It doesn't matter to me who you date." Blake told her with a small shrug. _Why did that feel like a lie_? "Besides, I'm in no position to judge you for something you can't change, remember?" She added with a small smile, purposefully tilting her feline ears.

"Right." Yang slowly nodded and soon smiled, more confident in the outcome of her admission. "I'm glad. Now that we've got that serious crap out of the way; welcome to my humble lair." Yang declared as she dramatically held out her arms. Blake let herself look around a bit more, now less distracted by their conversation. The bookshelf to her right boasted far more movies and trophies than books, and what books were there that she could see seemed to be photo books. There were four trophies from wrestling, if the competing statues on the tops were any indication. One, however, was for boxing. Upon closer inspection, the date was from freshman year.

"You used to box?" Blake asked as she turned around. Yang rubbed her neck awkwardly, an uncomfortable smile on her lips.

"Uh, yeah. I was pretty good at it too, but I quit after my first year." She shrugged and sat back down on her bed. "I didn't really like hurting people and after I hurt my wrist I had the perfect excuse to stop. My dad was _so_  bummed." Blake hummed in acknowledgement, smiling softly as she read the trophy plaques. The fact that she had quit for that reason was incredibly endearing.

"Do you mind if I look at these?" She asked as she pulled out one of the photo albums. Yang shrugged, making it clear that it made no difference to her. Blake opened the book to an early page, grinning at the first picture she saw. A toddler, no older than four, floating in a pool floaty with a curious expression. Her bright blonde hair was in a short bob, curling persistently even at a short length. "You're so cute!" Blake enthused as she sat next to Yang, pointing to the picture.

"You should see the pictures of Ruby." Yang replied humbly as she took the photo album and skipped ahead. The page she flipped to held several pictures of Ruby at about the same age, smiling in each one. "That one." Yang pointed to a picture of Ruby covered in mud at age five (the date hastily scrawled below it), grinning up at her older sister. "I accidentally ran her over with my four wheeler." Yang laughed, recalling the memory fondly. She flipped to an earlier page, and Blake frowned when she saw an unfamiliar woman holding the two girls.

A tense silence was felt between them as Yang's smile faded. The woman had jet black hair, not unlike Ruby's, that was long and curled into a mess just as Yang wore hers now. Her piercing red eyes reminded Blake of Yang's whenever her temper got the best of her, although more dull with troubled feelings than burning with anger. The woman seemed exhausted, frown lines apparent even at a presumably young age, and her smile didn't seem genuine.

"That's my mom." Yang said finally, glancing to Blake and meeting her gaze for a brief moment. "What a happy family, huh?" Blake's frown deepened. Neither girl seemed happy, though Yang seemed to be trying her best to fake a smile. Yang sighed and flipped back a few more pages, settling on a photo of Ruby as a baby being held by her mother with Taiyang hovering over them. "I don't, um...I don't usually go through these." Blake's heart ached when she noticed tears in Yang's eyes.

"Hey." She grabbed Yang's wrist, gently rubbing her thumb against her skin. She didn't dare look up to meet those lilac eyes, fearing that she had already done far too much. "There's no way to change the past, but there's also nothing wrong with wishing things had gone differently." Blake chewed her lip, suddenly unsure of her own words. "That sounded a bit better in my head." Yang laughed weakly and Blake playfully bumped her shoulder. "I'm here."

"That's all I need." Yang whispered in response, a faint smile on her lips. Blake ignored the skip of her heart and simply leaned against Yang, flipping the page.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Yang released a heavy breath she had been holding for far too long once Blake had left the confines of her father's truck. She had offered to drive the faunus home, entirely unaware of the complete torture she would feel in such a short amount of time. As winter came into full swing it became more and more apparent to her that this girl in particular would be the death of her. It could have been her imagination, but Blake seemed to be even more affectionate than before. The optimistic hopeless romantic in her might have convinced her that Blake had feelings for her if the girl didn't have a boyfriend. No, she was certain that there was another, much more logical, explanation for the girl's unique openness that Yang didn't share with any other friend.

She noticed Qrow was there when she pulled into the driveway, his black sedan parked crooked just in front of the garage. He was smoking a cigarette on the porch, turning her way as she approached. "Hey Firecracker." He greeted with a small nod of his head. He leaned over the railing, not bothering to look at her while he spoke. "You seem bummed out."

"That obvious, huh?" She huffed as she leaned back against the rail beside him. Qrow didn't respond, waiting patiently for her to vent. Yang wasn't sure where to start. "Have you ever been in love, Uncle Qrow?" Vague questions loosely related to the topic of discussion; a move straight out of Principal Ozpin's book.

"Unfortunately." He answered honestly, taking a long breath from his cigarette before snuffing it out against the rail. Taiyang would know that the charred scuff was his doing, but Qrow probably didn't care. "Is it a girl, then?" He asked her, likely already knowing her answer. Yang groaned and kicked the wooden boards of the patio deck, as if that would relieve some of her frustration. It didn't.

"Only the most amazing girl I've ever met." She grumbled. Qrow raised a brow, silently asking her if she was serious. "Okay, call me cheesy all you want, but it's true!" Yang exclaimed defensively, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Her Uncle smirked and placed a hand on her shoulder to chill her out.

"Yang. If high school taught me anything, it's that girls are a waste of your time." He told her seriously, holding out his finger like her father would. "I mean, why do you think I'm forty and still never been married?" _Because no woman wants to marry a drunk asshat_?, she thought to herself with a frown. "I've got terrible luck, especially in the romance department, but you're not me. You're like your dad-destined to have ladies falling for you left and right." Qrow finished with a sly smirk. "If you really like this girl, then stop beating around the bush and tell her before you lose your chance forever." He added sternly, his eyes narrowed when she turned.

"I-I don't know." She sighed and anxiously rubbed her neck. If Blake didn't return her feelings then their friendship would be effectively ruined. That was the last thing she wanted.

"If you don't tell her, it's gonna eat you up inside." Qrow gently insisted. "Even if you ruin a perfectly good friendship, it'll be better to regret owning up to it than not saying it at all. Trust me, kid."

"She has a boyfriend." Yang mentioned, as if this detail would make Qrow change his mind.

"You'll still regret not telling her." He insisted again, an odd look in his eyes that Yang wasn't sure she had ever seen from him. He leaned against the rail on one hand and slowly raised an eyebrow. "Any other excuses?" Yang considered adding on to that the fact that Blake was a faunus, but that wasn't a problem at all. Blake had made it clear that they were on the same level, regardless of race. "That's what I thought." Qrow patted her shoulder and opened the door for her, gesturing for her to head inside first. "And don't plan out a speech or anything. You won't end up using it anyway." He advised with a faint smirk before she passed him.

Well, there went countless daydreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if there are a few mistakes. I'm currently being rushed by my friend because we're in the middle of a board game.  
> Until next time, friends!
> 
> (Also; many thanks for well over a hundred kudos! I'm so honored to know that so many people enjoy my story!)


	8. Night and Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the longest of the story and so much happens so I wanted to put my all into it. That's why it took me four weeks to provide, but it's here now and it's good! Enjoy!
> 
> Chapter title is from You're My World - Tom Jones

Sunshine Cafe was bustling with faunus this morning. Ilia had insisted on treating her, claiming that they didn't spend much time together anymore. Blake had to admit that this was true, as most of her free time away from Adam had been taken by Yang. Blake had ordered her usual honey tea, staying at the counter and catching up with Sun as he made it. Ilia shot her a wry smile, but Blake _assured_ her that she had no interest in him. Although, she did omit the fact that Blake had stayed at the cafe after hours a few months back. That was better left between her and the two blondes involved.

"Protests have gotten a lot more heated lately. Some people think The White Fang might lash out." Ilia mentioned as they sat down. Blake groaned and squeezed the bridge of her nose between two fingers.

"Please, let's talk about _anything_  but politics." She all but begged. The topic wasn't worth aggravating her dull headache. It was like a constant pressure in her forehead, likely induced by stress. Not to mention that it had gotten more frustrating than ever to think of faunus rights ever since she had become more familiar with a few humans.

" _You're_  the one into politics." Ilia remarked with a frown. "Something wrong?" She asked, concern in her eyes as she leaned forward ever so slightly. It was admittedly hard to think of humanity as a group anymore, because every time she thought of humanity she couldn't help but see amethyst eyes smiling at her.

"I just...don't want to talk about faunus rights right now, Ilia." Blake avoided the question, averting her eyes. "How about your parents? How have they been?" She asked, eager to find a topic that didn't stress her out. Ilia frowned and suddenly seemed so distant. She leaned back against her chair, arms crossed and head turned away.

"Working their asses off in the quarries." She grumbled in response. "My dad threw out his back the other day, but the humans still expect him to work." Blake deflated upon hearing that.

"I'm sorry to hear that." She offered with sympathy. Ilia huffed in response and rolled her eyes. Blake felt an odd feeling of dread wash over her. "He won't lose his job, will he?" She knew that it was likely he would, but being pessimistic and cynical wouldn't change anything.

"Blake, they expect him to come back tomorrow like nothing happened, but he _can't_. He can barely get up to eat." Her blue eyes drifted down to the table, anger tinting them a faint shade of maroon. "They don't care. He's just a work horse to them, an expendable animal that they work until he dies." She scoffed and pulled out her phone. "Whatever. We aren't talking about faunus rights, are we?" She began scrolling through something, closing herself off from further conversation.

Blake remained silent, her gaze lowering to her cup of honey tea. Guilt settled in her gut before she ushered it away, attempting to convince herself that she did nothing wrong. Why did she suddenly have trouble speaking with Ilia? As the silence stretched on, Blake's attention drifted to the window nearby, watching the snow fall onto the pavement. A faunus walked by on the sidewalk beside the road, his large horns preventing him from using his jacket's hood. How unlucky.

"Blake?" Her ears perked in response to her name and she turned to Ilia. "You remember that human girl that Adam fought a few months ago?" Ilia asked, sliding her phone over to Blake. This "human girl" was in fact Yang, a fact that made Blake bristle at the term. Her attention, however, was stolen when she noticed this was Yang's social media. "Cocky as ever, isn't she? Luckily it looks good on her." Ilia added with a short laugh. The most recent post was a video of their training, claiming that the tournament this year would be an easy win.

"She's been awfully excited about the tournament this year." Blake recalled with a fond smile, scrolling down through the several pictures and videos of cute animals and pretty landscapes. Her ears perked upwards at a picture of Yang herself, grinning as she and Ruby shared a yellow scarf with an embroidered dragon. The caption expressed her excitement for the gift that Ruby had given her during the holidays. Blake suddenly felt as though the gift she had given Yang wasn't nearly enough, yet Yang was wearing that exact same purple beanie that brought out her eyes, happy to wear it no matter how much it clashed with that scarf.

"Didn't Adam tell you to stay away from that girl?" Ilia asked her with a suspicious look. Blake flinched, realizing her guard had dropped much too late for her to actually do anything about it. She opened her mouth to reply, to give her some sort of excuse, but she soon closed it. Ilia deserved better than lies.

"Are you going to tell him?" Blake asked her cautiously, painfully unsure if she could trust even her oldest friend. There was no way she would end her friendship with Yang now, not after they had grown so close. Even if these silly pictures warmed her heart, they would never be enough to fill that hole.

"Doesn't he deserve to know?" Ilia asked her with an annoyed look. Adam _did_  deserve to know, but Blake didn't want to risk him tearing apart their friendship. She wasn't sure she could handle that. Yang had admittedly become a sort of lifeline for her, providing support that neither Adam nor Ilia could in equal measure. She didn't want to lose another friend because of Adam's possessiveness.

"He doesn't trust me." She confessed. "I think..." She hesitated, her ears flattening against her head. She remembered the desperate look in his eyes when he asked that she stay away from Yang, when he told her that he was scared of her losing track of herself. "I think he's scared of her stealing me away."

"Do you like her?" Ilia asked bluntly.

"Of course I do." Blake scoffed, though her cheeks burned as she considered another meaning to the question. "Why would I be friends with someone I didn't like?" She asked incredulously. Ilia rolled her eyes, sending a strike of fear through her.

"That's not what I meant, Blake." A tense silence hovered over them for what felt like much too long, intensified when their eyes met. Ilia glared at her, her blue eyes harsh and unforgiving and so unlike the softness usually within them that Blake had grown so familiar with. She tensed, her skin growing cold as panic struck her heart.

"I..." She hesitated, unsure of what to say. The truth was supposed to be easy, but Blake didn't know what the truth _was_! Did she have feelings for Yang? Was this close bond she felt romantic and not the close friendship she had previously thought it was? Why else would Ilia ask something like that?

"Do you like her?" Ilia asked again, more firmly this time as her eyes flashed red.

"I don't know!" She snapped, bringing the cafe to a silent halt as everyone stared at her. She felt her face flush with embarrassment and she stood from her seat, quickly grabbing her things and throwing on her coat. She had been forced to replace the brown leather jacket with a proper winter coat, and the disappointment she remembered that it caused her made her doubt herself. She hurried out the door and the sudden change in temperature made her shiver violently.

"Blake!" Ilia chased after her, bursting out the door right behind her. Blake ignored the cold January wind biting into her skin and walked down the sidewalk, determined to avoid snapping again. Every muscle felt tense and she wasn't sure if it was more from the cold or fear. "Blake, stop!" Ilia insisted, following just behind and desperately trying to get Blake to stop and look at her. "I didn't realize-"

"Didn't realize what, Ilia? That I have feelings?" Blake cut her off as she spun around, too angry to care that Ilia seemed truly sorry. She couldn't handle this. There were so many questions in her head and she didn't know what the answers were or where to find them. "That for once I have a friend that really understands me and I didn't want Adam to take that away from me!?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were struggling so much with it." Blake hesitated, turning away with a small sigh. She watched her breath wisp away into nothingness. Ilia boldly took another step forward when she remained silent. "I know what that's like; confusing a close friendship with romantic feelings, not knowing if you've crossed that line." Ilia admitted awkwardly, catching Blake's attention.

"What do you mean?" She asked cautiously, not certain if she really wanted to know.

"I won't tell Adam." Ilia promised, completely disregarding the question. "He doesn't own you, and if you don't want him to know then it's not my place to tell him."

"Thank you, Ilia." Blake thanked her honestly, grabbing her hands and holding them tightly in gratitude. "I appreciate it so much. You have no idea." Ilia looked down at their joined hands, a sad smile on her lips when she looked back up to meet shining golden eyes.

"I'll see you later, Blake." She patted Blake's hands and pulled away, turning back to head to her car. Blake watched, a terrible feeling as though she had ruined everything washing over her. She tried to brush it off as she turned away, heading home before the cold became too much. She didn't plan on freezing to death. As she walked, however, her thoughts drifted back to Ilia's question. _Do you like her_?

Blake sighed, quite honestly giving up on finding the answer before she even tried. Even if she did find girls attractive, and if she did have feelings for Yang, she still had a boyfriend. Blake refused to be the kind of person that would outright lie to someone they cared about. She was not that kind of person.

But she was, wasn't she?

It began to dawn on her just how many times she had purposefully deceived Adam, especially when it came to Yang. She had been lying since the beginning. This made her physically stop in the middle of the sidewalk, staring down at the light sheet of snow over the concrete. At some point Yang had become more important than Adam. That took more than a few seconds for her to properly process and by the time she did her phone was already in her hand, dialing Yang. For every partial second that the dial tone rang she grew more and more tense, eager for an answer to her newly formed question. It was a question she never expected to be asking herself, and yet here she was about to ask the possible culprit.

" _What's shakin', bacon_?" Blake smiled in amusement at the greeting, for once unable to ignore the way her mood brightened with just the sound of her voice. Yang could go on for hours about the intricacies of drying paint and Blake would be enraptured the entire time. Of course, this only further validated that annoying voice in her head that insisted that this was not merely platonic feelings she was experiencing.

"Can people fall out of love?" Blake asked the question without bothering to reply to Yang's, knowing that hers was not a serious one. It was just a greeting. Blake's inquiry, however, was of much greater importance.

" _Um...yeah? I guess_?" Yang answered uncertainly, obviously confused by the randomness of it. " _I mean, that's probably why a lot of people get divorced, right? Sometimes it just doesn't last_." Blake frowned, a part of her wondering if she would _want_  to break up with him. She didn't really remember what it was like to be without him since they had been dating for so long, and been friends even longer.

"Okay. That makes sense." She nodded slowly, surprisingly satisfied with Yang's answer. It did make sense. Now she was just left with the question of whether or not she still cared about Adam the same way she used to. It was not out of the realm of possibility for her to have lost interest, but had she? She still cared about him deeply, but at what point did that cease to be considered love?

" _Why do you ask_?" Yang asked her, immediately knowing that something was up. Blake chewed her lip as she began walking again, hesitant to share with Yang this inner conflict. She was part of the reason Blake was struggling. Did she have feelings for Yang? Did that mean she's gay? If she was then were her feelings for Adam meaningless? Nonexistent? How could that be when she had practically devoted her life to him? Maybe she was something in between? That existed, right?

She couldn't be. She had never once considered a woman attractive outside of an objective appreciation, occasionally jealousy. She was also certain that she at least found men attractive, as she had been dating one for several years. Their relationship was not entirely _saintly_. Still, a sick feeling in her gut told her that this wasn't as simple as that. She found Adam attractive, yes, but most other men received the same dismissal from her that women did. She knew that didn't make sense. Adam was likely the only man she had known to be her type. Simply coincidental, that was all. Then again, the same could always be said for Yang.

"It's nothing." Blake assured her, lying through her teeth. There were so many questions she had and she knew Yang could answer at least some of them, but she would never ask that of her friend. "Don't worry about it." She knew Yang would see through her; she simply hoped that she would have the mind to drop it.

" _Blake, that's just gonna make me worry more_." Yang pointed out with an exasperated noise. For a short moment of silence Blake felt a heavy weight on her shoulders, impatiently waiting for Yang to say something so she didn't have to. After an interminable amount of silence, Yang finally relented. " _Okay. Fine. I'll drop it_."

"Thank you." Blake breathed a sigh of relief and though she had her answer, she did not feel it was necessary to hang up. "So, um...what are you up to?"

" _Just playing some video games while I have the time. I've been wanting to beat this one for months_." Yang answered happily and Blake could hear the grin in her voice. Blake knew what Yang's schedule was like and knew that she likely hadn't gotten much time to play games. If she was free now then surely she'd rather be finishing this game of hers than talking about nothing with Blake.

"Oh. I-I'm sorry. I can hang up if you-" Blake was quickly interrupted, despite her clear insistence. She did not wish to take up more of Yang's time than she needed to, especially when the girl had something else that clearly excited her.

" _What? No! No, I...I paused it. It's fine_." There was something off in her voice, a sudden uneasiness that Blake feared she had caused. " _You're more important than some game_." Yang assured her firmly. Blake tried not to think too long about how just moments ago Yang had seemed so genuinely excited and yet now Blake came before it without a second thought.

"Well, I don't really have anything I _need_. I just..." _wanted to hear your voice_. She quickly dismissed the fleeting thought with warm cheeks. She tried to ignore the odd look she received from a human that passed by her on the sidewalk. Whether it was from her ears or her red cheeks she didn't know, and honestly didn't _want_  to know. "...I wanted to talk. If you're busy then-"

" _Blake. It's fine_." She insisted softer this time and more sympathetic. " _I'd much rather be talking to you. I was actually considering inviting you over, but I figured you'd be hanging out with Ilia for most of the day_."

"Oh. No, she just went home." Blake told her with a small frown. Then, suddenly, a terribly wonderful idea came to her. "If you pick me up at the cafe then I'll stay as long as you'd have me." She offered with a fresh smile.

" _I'm on my way_." Yang agreed without a second thought, promptly hanging up the phone afterward. Blake smiled to herself, beamed really, and turned right around to head back to the cafe.

////

Blake didn't know much about wrestling, or really any sport. She couldn't follow the points and she didn't know what qualified a victory. The sport, however, was not the focus of her attention. Unfortunately, she found herself much more focused on Yang herself; the way she moved with such confidence even though her opponent was putting up a serious fight, the way her eyes shined with delight, and the way the light shined on her skin. All of it was quite honestly breathtaking, and although wrestling was certainly not a graceful sport by any means, Blake found herself unable to look away through sheer appreciation.

It didn't take long for her to notice that Yang was actually quite good. Even someone ignorant to the sport could tell, especially with other students cheering and chanting her name. Blake couldn't suppress a smile and soon was sucked into the energy of the crowd, grinning shamelessly as she gave her friend a standing ovation upon victory.

The other matches were nothing without Yang. Blake found it curious that every other match seemed dull and frankly quite boring, but Yang's were exciting and thrilling. Yang had managed to win the tournament despite everyone's doubts and was sure to be receiving many congratulations from friends and family. Blake wanted to be the first. She waited for her outside the lockers since she wasn't allowed inside, her heart pounding as she bounced impatiently. The doors opened and her ears perked, eyes excitedly searching for that head of messy blonde hair and that infectious smile. She recognized Nora beside her, the two laughing and patting each other on the back as they left the locker room.

"Yang." Blake called her name, suddenly nervous about something she couldn't quite explain. Yang turned to her in surprise, lilac eyes wide and filled with confusion for the shortest moment before she smiled and suddenly they told Blake everything Yang intended to say without a word exchanged between them. _I'm so glad to see you_.

"There's my girl!" Blake flinched as Taiyang pushed past her, wrapping Yang in a tight hug. She groaned as he squeezed her and breathed a sigh of relief when he let her go. "I'm so proud of you!" He enthused with a firm grip on her shoulder.

"Th-Thanks, Dad." Yang's eyes moved away, purposefully finding Blake. "I'll catch up with you, okay? I'm gonna talk to Blake." Taiyang frowned, but easily relented and walked away. Yang turned to her, her smile returning full force when the faunus offered her own.

"Congratulations, Yang." Blake started, nervous energy filling her chest. "I admit I was actually nervous, but I knew you'd-" Yang wrapped her arms around the faunus unexpectedly, lifting her into the air in the midst of her excitement. Blake instinctively returned the hug if only to feel steady as her feet lifted off the ground, one hand tangling in Yang's damp hair and the other grabbing the back of her shirt. She smelled like soap and citrus shampoo, fresh from the showers.

"I'm so glad you came!" Yang squealed excitedly as she spun Blake around before finally setting her down. Though her feet were now grounded, Blake did not pull away from her arms. "I was worried you wouldn't come, you're not really a sport person, but I did my best just in case."

"Of course I came." Blake turned her head towards her, burying her nose in Yang's hair and breathing in that wonderful scent that made her head spin. Although she expected Yang to have forced an end to their abnormally long hug, the blonde only held her tighter. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world." She added with a whisper and Yang finally pulled away, cheeks flushed as she glanced away.

"I'm just gonna _go_." Nora alerted them as she turned to leave, slapping Yang's back in farewell before walking away. Yang watched her leave for just a moment before turning back to Blake, a fresh new grin on her lips.

"I was actually hoping we could hang out for a bit. You're free, right? Nowhere to be?" Blake paused, reminded of Adam's request to spend time together tonight. The matches had taken less time than Blake had anticipated so Adam should still be free, and she _had_  told him that she would join him if there was time. It would be wrong to stay with Yang instead, wouldn't it?

Still, it wasn't as though he needed to _know_.

"As free as a bird." She answered her with a sweet smile, unconsciously leaning forward. Yang's hand trailed up her arm and the two stood there for a moment, almost frozen as neither of them could find the strength to look away. Blake was practically captivated by her eyes and how her blonde lashes slowly drifted lower. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest and she was far too distracted by Yang's tongue darting out to wet her parted lips to wonder what exactly was going on.

"I-uh!" Yang suddenly stepped back, her eyes wide as she seemed to be struggling to remember what she was saying before the strange moment between them. "Right. Th-This way. Let's walk." She turned stiffly and forced herself to start walking down the hall, never glancing back to see if Blake was following. She did, dashing forward to catch up and walk beside her.

She frowned as she wondered why Yang was suddenly acting so strange. Just a minute ago she was excited and presumably filled with adrenaline from her matches, and yet now she seemed so stiff and her face was flushed like she had a fever. Blake flushed hotly as it finally occurred to her exactly why Yang was like this. They had been so close and looking back now it felt as though they had been about to _kiss_. Were they about to kiss!? Did Yang want that? Was she embarrassed because she wasn't sure if Blake had wanted such a thing, or because Blake had crossed a line and made things awkward? Yang had leaned forward too, Blake realized. Her eyes had partially closed and she _licked her lips_.

A strong shudder shot through her in response to simply the _thought_  of Yang kissing her. She had never been an avid daydreamer, yet now her fleeting thoughts consisted of nothing but the addictively smiley blonde; Yang kissing her softly in that moment they had shared, roughly against the lockers in desperate attempt to convey her feelings, and a soft romantic kiss in the setting sun outside the cafe they frequented together with her hands in her hair just shy of her ears. No, she was getting ahead of herself. There was no way for her to know if Yang even had any interest in her. Granted she had told Blake outright that she was interested in girls, but Blake specifically? That much was doubtful. Then again Blake had only begun to see Yang in a different light for the past few weeks, though it felt longer than that. Yet even still it felt like things were just the same between them, although she was more aware of the way Yang insisted on being so close to her. Likely because these feelings had not changed; she was just more aware of them.

So just how long exactly had these feelings been meddling their way into her head? Since the protest? Since their project had been due? She had been given every excuse to cut off this friendship in those instances and yet she had not only tolerated her time with Yang, but actively sought it out. That of course could simply be argued against with the fact that her feelings were entirely platonic at the time; after all, friends do enjoy spending time together. And yet it didn't explain how she felt so lost without Yang beside her, or how attached she had become to that jacket that ultimately resembled nothing more than Yang's generosity. It did nothing to explain her complete willingness to defy Adam, or the way her heart jumped whenever Yang said her name. No, Blake had the very unsettling suspicion that this had been building up for some time and it was simply her ignorance that had kept her from noticing it sooner.

"I'm sorry." Blake was abruptly pulled from her thoughts when Yang spoke up, her voice soft and vulnerable yet loud as it echoed in the empty hall. She was apologizing. For what? "I wasn't thinking before. I was...you know, just...um...pumped up." The kiss! _She was apologizing for the kiss, you idiot_! It hadn't been her fault and yet she was apologizing and she clearly felt awful about the whole thing, and quite frankly none of this was at all fair because for some god forsaken reason Blake couldn't bring herself to say _anything_!

Yang looked at her for the first time since it happened, her eyes expressing her worry and fear so much more vividly than any words could. Blake felt a strike of guilt in her chest and wanted so badly to apologize herself for having these feelings in the first place, but she _couldn't_. She was with Adam and her heart was being unfaithful and it was _wrong_ , and yet she couldn't bring herself to say anything in case she would ruin what she and Yang had. However wrong it was, Blake had feelings for her and that felt _right_  somehow.

"I'm really sorry, Blake." Yang apologized again, so sincerely, and Blake could hear her voice shaking. Perhaps the inner turmoil she was currently experiencing had Blake don just the wrong expression because Yang sounded _terrified_. She tried taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, but was tense enough that she had to physically stop and gather herself. "I just..." She met Blake's eyes and suddenly the familiar softness she had shown Blake so many times felt much less innocuous. "I just hope you'll still be my friend."

"Of course." The words didn't sound convincing to even herself, so there was no way Yang believed her. Why was it so hard for her to tell Yang that there were feelings being returned? _Maybe Yang doesn't have feelings for me_ , she considered. There was still the possibility and if that were the case then Blake wasn't sure she would be able to handle losing this amazingly close friendship that they had built. Why couldn't Yang just _tell_  her?

 _She's just as scared as you_.

It was fleeting, though it stopped Blake's entire thought process. It was quickly chased away when Yang smiled, a relieved sigh breaking their momentary silence that felt longer than it truly was. "Okay." It was such a simple word that held so many different meanings, and yet now it felt like part of a different language Blake understood so little of what it meant. Was she truly satisfied with that? Was that it? Would they now move on and never again speak of this, doomed to run around in circles constantly worrying what the other was thinking? Blake usually had so little trouble understanding what Yang wanted to say, and now she had no clue. It somehow felt more real that way. It was certainly more terrifying.

"Yang?" They had reached the parking lot outside before Blake had the courage to speak. This game of cat and mouse was excruciatingly frustrating and she was determined to get a clear answer before heading home tonight. She couldn't stand one more sleepless night staring at her ceiling and wondering if Yang felt the same way. This is what she told herself in an attempt to convince herself to tell Yang what exactly was on her mind, but as soon as the blonde turned to her with a curious expression the words died in her throat. "I...do you...?" Something seemed to click in Yang's eyes and her expression tensed.

"I really like you." Blake flinched at the sudden declaration, her cheeks flushing as it processed in her mind seconds later. Yang's face seemed to match hers, a look of earnest in her eyes that seemed reminiscent of a child. "Like, m-more than just a friend. You know? I-I've been trying to find the nerve to tell you." She admitted, her voice shaking as she promptly regretted the confession. "And I don't expect you to feel the same, but I couldn't keep being your friend without telling you. It felt like I was lying to you and I swear I couldn't stand it."

"Yang..." Blake found herself speechless and the racing of her heart seemed to taunt her for being unable to reply properly. Her mouth wasn't working right, no matter how much she wanted to profess her own affections.

"I know." Yang's expression fell in disappointment and Blake cursed her continued silence for causing such an expression on such a beautiful girl. "You have Adam, and even if you didn't, you're not attracted to girls. I wasn't expecting anything, Blake. I just needed to tell you." She grabbed Yang's jacket and pulled her down to kiss her, and though she didn't linger for more than a second it was possibly the most thrilling second of her life. Even as she pulled away the softness of Yang's lips taunted her to come back again for more.

"Shut up. I don't care about Adam." A small part of her reveled in the shocked expression on Yang's face, though the majority of her felt bad for kissing her out of the blue. "You're here, in front of me, right now, and I _like_  you and I can't just ignore it anymore." She confessed earnestly. Yang frowned, a conflicted look in her eyes as she considered her response carefully. Blake feared what she might say. Would she turn Blake away for fear of her unfaithfulness? She wasn't sure what she could offer as explanation. Truthfully, she was being rather uncharacteristically impulsive at the moment. She hadn't considered _needing_ to explain herself. So long as Yang liked her, she thought...

" _I_  care about Adam." Yang told her with a surprisingly hostile look on her face, ultimately startling Blake away from mulling over her thoughts. "Blake, he's your boyfriend. That's kind of an important detail." Her gaze lowered in shame and she reluctantly let go of her. She shouldn't be allowed to be so close to such a bright person, so full of hope. Hope that Blake had effectively turned against the poor girl. "You can't have both of us." Yang told her when she remained silent, though Blake had already told herself this fact several times and it hadn't done much good to persuade her heart.

"I know. It's not like I even _want_  both of you, I just..." Blake shivered from the cold and noticed Yang reach out instinctively, but the girl hesitated and ended up shoving both hands into her pockets. "I can't just break up with Adam. It's _Adam_. Yang, I've known him since sixth grade I can't...I can't imagine my life without him." She quickly took notice of the hurt in Yang's eyes, the crushing feeling of knowing that you couldn't compare. "It's not necessarily that I'm still in love with him. I don't...I don't know." She admitted pathetically.

"Then why don't you just stay friends? If you don't love him then you shouldn't stay with him." Blake laughed bitterly, shaking her head softly. She knew how that would go. Adam would be so heartbroken and feel so betrayed that they would never be the same. She'd never be able to look at him and not feel guilty.

"I can't." She answered coldly. She couldn't bring herself to look at Yang anymore. She felt the stifling hold of shame grip her chest, try as she might to ward it away. "I'm sorry." Her voice broke as she apologized, gripping onto herself tightly. "You're so wonderful and you make me so happy that I really wanted to try to ignore all the nagging reasons why I shouldn't be feeling this way. It's not just Adam, either. You're a _human_ , and another girl! I don't..." She didn't want yet another reason for the world to hate her. "I don't know how Coco and Velvet can handle that. All the stares they must get..."

"They don't care about all the weird looks because they love each other. If they're together then it shouldn't matter what other people think." Yang offered her explanation and though it was a nice sentiment Blake found herself doubting that it would truly be enough. The looks wear down on you eventually. Maybe she just had thin skin. "Blake, I didn't...I didn't mean to turn you down. I..." Yang hesitated, chewing her lip as she searched for the right words. "I'm crazy about you." She admitted with a nervous laugh. "I just didn't want to feel like your second choice if...if we were...you know." Her sudden shyness was endearing, but Blake did not let this distract her from the true meaning of her words.

"You aren't, Yang." She insisted without properly considering. They weren't lies by any means and she needed Yang to know. "Haven't you noticed how much time we spend together? That's all time that I could be spending with Adam, but I don't because I...I have more fun with you. I'm _happier_  with you." Blake thoughtlessly took her hand, squeezing it assuringly. "Heck, Yang, I told him I was busy tonight because I knew you had the tournament. I didn't want to miss even a chance at seeing you."

"Oh..." She glanced away and seemed to be searching for something intangible before looking back. "I'm glad you came." She brushed her free hand through Blake's hair with a sweet smile that Blake felt she could stare at for hours. Still, the hesitation in those beautiful amethyst eyes was glaringly obvious.

"Of course I came." Despite her assurances, Yang's hesitation remained. Blake was unsure if she could ever make it truly go away without facing the crippling fear of leaving Adam. "Yang, I..." She stopped herself, eyes finally taking notice of the familiar dull blue truck waiting patiently in the rapidly emptying parking lot. She sighed, knowing entirely well that the edge of the parking lot at eight at night, out in the cold, was not exactly the best time to be having this conversation. "I'll text you, okay?" At least from behind a screen she wouldn't feel so vulnerable.

"Oh, okay." Yang visibly deflated, glancing over her shoulder to see her dad's truck. "I should probably go anyway." Disheartened at hearing the disappointment in her voice, Blake laced her fingers with Yang's; they were still holding hands.

"Don't look so worried." Blake gently assured her, though she gave the blonde no solid answers. She separated their hands only to lift both of her hands to cup Yang's cheeks, smiling as she winced at the cold touch. She pulled her down and while Yang had clearly expected a kiss from the way her eyes widened, Blake smugly placed a soft kiss against her cheek. Her grip on Yang loosened and she practically radiated sunshine with that smile. "I really like you too. Like more than just a friend." Blake purred, her lips curled into a mischievous smile as Yang seemed to realize that her own words had been echoed back to her.

"I-I'll text you." Yang promised her with a slight stammer as she reluctantly took a single step away. The blush on her cheeks was almost too adorable to be real.

"I'll answer." Blake promised in kind, watching with a fond smile as Yang turned on her heel and marched stiffly to her father's truck. Unfortunately, now she was faced with the cold reality of her inevitable walk home.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Yang sighed as she sank back into the passenger seat. The heat was already running, warm enough to comfort her since her dad had been waiting for her. It hit her suddenly that the truck had been parked within direct line of sight of where she and Blake had been standing. Surely enough, when she turned to her father he had a grin on his face, clearly trying very hard not to say anything. Taking full advantage of the silence, however, Yang's mind finally seemed to process the fact that _Blake_  had _kissed_  her, and her feelings were indeed reciprocated but it was all a secret because she still had that prick of a boyfriend which meant Yang couldn't just go around telling everyone with a megaphone and the biggest grin she could muster without breaking her face like she _wanted_  to. She was crazy about this girl but she couldn't tell anyone.

"You seem upset." Taiyang commented with a concerned frown, no doubt recognizing the hopelessness in her eyes. "I thought it went well?"

"We saw her kiss you!" Ruby enthused excitedly from the back seat. Yang blushed, reminded of how Blake had kissed her out of the blue just to shut her up, and of how softly she had kissed her cheek. It seemed so much like Blake that Yang didn't mind in the absolute slightest. She turned away to hide her flushed face, instead looking out the window. Her eyes quickly found Blake's silhouette in the dark as the faunus walked home and concern filled her for a moment before she remembered that faunus could easily see in the dark. Then again, _humans_  couldn't.

"It...went just about how I expected it to." She finally answered her father, attention brought back to his question. It was such a lie; she had been _expecting_  to get turned down flat. However, Blake had not only returned her feelings, but also actively encouraged them. That kiss... well, Yang's lips still burned and she doubted that it was from the cold.

"Oh, I'm sorry, little dragon." Taiyang offered in sympathy, reaching over to take her hand in his. She looked over and he sent her an assuring smile before patting her shoulder. "I guess not everything could go perfectly today, could it?"

"You okay?" Ruby asked in concern, her mood immediately eased down in shared disappointment and concern.

"It's fine." Yang assured them, not wanting her family to worry over nothing. Still, she knew that her voice was less than convincing. "We're still friends, after all. I haven't lost anything." On the contrary, she had gained so much. Her heart was singing in joy as much as it was crying with frustration. A part of her was angry that Blake had all but outright refused to leave Adam. The rest of her understood the circumstances; from what Yang had learned about him over the past few months, he would make sure there was hell to pay if Blake ever crossed him. She was scared of him, and Yang couldn't blame her.

Taiyang and Ruby began talking casually about how her second semester had been going so far and Yang took the opportunity to pull out her phone and make good on her promise. She smiled when she noticed that Blake had already texted her. _I'm trying not to be selfish you know. You make it extremely difficult_.

 _It's not my fault that I'm beautiful_. Yang sent with a grin, not even caring if her father noticed. She had unconsciously slipped into her usual demeanor that she had with Blake and, realizing that this wouldn't help them sort things out whatsoever, she quickly sent another message immediately afterward. _I never meant to give you the impression that I didn't want this_. God did she want it. She would stay up late at night wishing that Blake was hers and now...now she could be. She wanted it more than anything.

Blake responded, however, far too soon to be in reply to her second message. _You are, and frankly it doesn't help_. Yang felt her heart soar knowing that Blake found her beautiful and would so boldly admit to it. _I didn't get that impression from you, Yang. You're just unsure and I can't blame you for that_.

 _But I AM sure_. Yang sent her quickly without considering it. She really wasn't. She still had so many doubts about this, but if there was one thing she was sure about it was that she didn't care so long as she had Blake. Maybe she was blinded by love, but she didn't give a horse's ass. _Blake, I want this. I want you_. Yang didn't care about Adam right now. Yes, it was a problem and yes she was worried about it, but did she really have the heart not to take this chance when it was offered to her? Adam was a prick and if Blake didn't have the nerve to leave him then maybe that said a lot about the kind of boyfriend he was. Yang had no problem stealing a girl away from an abusive shitbag.

It felt like hours before Blake finally replied, but when Yang checked the time it had really only been five minutes. _I want this too_. Short and sweet and simple, but it was the intent behind it that had Yang cheering as she stepped out of the truck and landed on the concrete driveway. Ruby and Taiyang looked at her strangely, but she could care less. Yang was grinning shamelessly as she eagerly texted on her phone, following Tai as they ascended the porch stairs.

 _You don't care that I'm human?_  It was a lingering thought, an unreasonable doubt that Yang felt the need to ask regardless. Blake had made it very clear that the interracial concept bothered her just as much as the inherent dishonesty of their budding relationship. It was awful thinking that Blake might reject her purely based on race, but if her earlier actions were anything to go by it was also an irrational fear.

 _Not as much as I probably should_ , was her response. It was half good, half terrible and Yang felt sickened that the answer was not a definite no. _Do you care that I’m a faunus?_  Yang scoffed at the question, at a loss as to how she could ever be bothered by those adoringly expressive ears that twitched with every sudden noise, that swiveled when searching for something specific, that angled down when she was upset. Yang assumed, however, that her particular fondness of Blake’s ears may possibly be misinterpreted as something more harmful than simple infatuation with _everything_  about the girl.

 _Not in the slightest. You’re you, Blake. Extra ears aren’t gonna make you any less wonderful._  A little cheesy, but if Yang knew anything about Blake it was that she didn’t think enough of herself. She might need a little cheesiness.

 _If that’s the case then aren’t our races irrelevant?_  Blake replied, a smiley face tagged onto the end. She only did things like that when she was actively worrying about her words being misunderstood. That in itself gave Yang a bit of confidence in whether or not her feelings were genuine.

 _And Adam?_  Yang had to know. It was the only detail that ever made her hesitate when it came to Blake. She wasn't sure what she was expecting. She was filled with nervous anticipation as she waited for Blake to reply. Her emotions were going so crazy she had no hope of figuring them out and she had given up a while ago. Really she had given up as soon as Blake had kissed her.

 _I'm sorry, but I just can't leave him. I won't ask you to hide this from everyone. If you'd rather not suffer through that then I promise you we can still be friends._  Yang's face fell. Was she serious? After all that she was going to go back on everything she said just like that? _Unless you'd rather not stay friends?_

 _I only meant to ask how you intend to hide this from him. I won't take back anything I said, Blake. I'm crazy about you and this might be impulsive of me but I'd be stupid not to take a chance for you._  Yang didn't want this chance to slip through her fingers because she said the wrong thing. She recognized that this was a delicate situation and maybe she was selfish for taking advantage of this opportunity but if she could have Blake the way she'd dreamed for months then damn the consequences.

 _I can't promise you that I'll be yours alone and I can't promise that we can do all the normal "couple things" but I can promise you that I do like you and I do want to pursue this, as complicated as it's bound to get_. That was honestly a lot to process. Yang hummed pensively as she slipped into her bedroom, completely ignoring her father's queries about dinner. It was going to be complicated and she knew she might get hurt because of it, but if the way her heart pounded in her chest said anything then she knew being with Blake was worth it.

 _You're worth it_. Yang bravely sent to her, unable to wipe the smile off her face. God she was worth it. Yang sat down on her bed, finally opting to slip off her shoes and coat. Her scarf joined the careless pile on her floor and when Yang returned her attention to her phone she frowned.

 _As long as you believe that, it's enough for me_. She knew that Blake couldn't see what she did, but that didn't mean that there weren't reasons to like her. She was gorgeous and had that wry sense of humor, her eyes were colored like honey and Yang found herself drawn into them far too often. She had shown herself to be passionate about the things she cared about, gentle and assuring to people she cared about, but she still had a sense of tough love that Yang couldn't help but adore. She remembered that it was Blake who managed to get some sense into her and convince her that all-nighter cram sessions were not a good study habit. Especially for finals.  _Does that officially make you my girlfriend?_  Yang's grin returned full force and she turned over to bury her face into her pillow, as if anyone would be around to witness her bright red cheeks. She squealed girlishly into the fluffy pillow, too positively thrilled to be concerned about whether or not that was particularly childish. Her reply, however, might have made Blake very nearly change her mind.

_I'd prefer the term mistress ;3_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're so gay and I love them. I love my gaybies ;~;
> 
> Also tomorrow is my best friend's birthday! Blake is his favorite so I got him that beanie that just so happens to have ace color scheme. Completely councidental I'm sure but it works out!  
> (And if any of yall have a better suggestion for the format of their texting please tell me I had no idea what to do)
> 
> Edit: It's five in the morning and Im not sure if Im just tired and messing up or if archive is being weird but the comments are messing up so thats fun  
> I love you all and if I don't reply I'm just sending you all a general all encompassing thank you <3


	9. Intermission

Heya there readers! This is just a small interjection meant for me to fill you all in on some things. I've been having a lot going on lately so I haven't had much opportunity to write and I didn't think it was fair to leave everyone in the dark.

first things first, my cat was recently diagnosed with cancer. He's my first cat ever and this is the first time I'll ever experience a pet death so it's been hard. The vet told us that there's nothing we can do and since he's been sick for quite a while he probably only has a month or so left to live. We could know for sure with a biopsy on the tumor but it's five hundred dollars and that would be on top of the cremation costs once he dies. We decided to just wait it out.

Finals are next week and I've been studying for those good grades so that absorbs some of my time also.

And finally, I'm sick. Just my luck to get a cold RIGHT before finals week, am I right?

 

All in all I've been in a slump when it comes to writing which I hope is understandable. I'll get back on this story as soon as possible, but don't expect it for another several weeks.

Thank you for reading my story, and have a nice day! ^

 


	10. Rich With Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yoo ya girl is back and ready to continue her favorite story! Hundred percent expect myself to drop the every other weekend schedule when my cat dies but for now I'm back up and running!  
> Also just so you know this chapter physically nauseated me to write. Uh Adam is a jackass. You've been warned?
> 
> (Chapter title is from Help Yourself - Tom Jones

The cold month of January had come and gone and now the wrestling season was all but officially over. The past year this had brought Yang a tumultuous mix of relief and disappointment, yet this time she felt nothing but giddy joy as she flipped her calendar to February. She couldn't hide her grin as she marked the fifteenth with a heart in purple pen. Two weeks. Just two weeks until she celebrated Valentine's Day properly for the first time. It had been an unspoken agreement between her and Blake that they would not be able to spend Valentine's together, but the day after? The day after was theirs.

Class with Blake was something that Yang had always looked forward to, but ever since the night of the tournament it was almost like it was the only reason she even went to school at all. She wasn't allowed to be overly affectionate, of course, but she had always gone out of her way to be close to Blake. So when Yang scooted just a bit closer than strictly necessary for sharing a textbook, Blake didn't say anything outright. Yang received little more than an uncertain glance when she did this. A reassuring smile, however, saw that Blake was relaxing once again. She cherished the way she had such an effect on Blake, as subtle as it may be at times. She had never noticed it before, but looking back she recognized that it had been there for a while. She used to blind herself with doubt, but now she saw clearly.

They hardly ever got time to be alone, but Yang treasured even the furtive glances they shared when passing in the hall and more so the overtly affectionate texts they sent to each other despite the constant worry that someone might read over their shoulder. She couldn't hold her hand or kiss her farewell, but Yang had this much and it was better than having nothing at all. She couldn't hide her grin when she noticed Blake in the hall, rushing forward impulsively for the chance to talk to her. It was torture pretending they weren't even friends.

"Hey there, stranger." Yang greeted her, bumping her shoulder playfully. Blake jumped in surprise and pushed her with a scoff, though the amused smile on her lips made it clear that there were no hard feelings. "Long time no see, beautiful." She added in a whisper, just enough for only Blake to hear her.

"We saw each other this morning." Blake replied with a laugh, conveniently ignoring the flirtatious greeting. Yang liked to think that Blake secretly enjoyed it. If she didn't she would have said something. Just the fact that Blake tolerated her cheesiness spoke volumes to just how perfect she was.

"But that was hours ago! That's like an eternity!" She whined dramatically, draping her arm around Blake's shoulders. Blake ducked away from her, meeting her confusion with a harsh glare.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" She snapped, her voice dropped to a whisper. "Don't be so handsy with me!" Yang hesitated and turned away in shame. She hadn't thought she was treating Blake any differently than a friend, but she supposed that itself was too much. They were just acquaintances. Not friends. Not here.

"I'm sorry." She muttered her apology, sighing pathetically as she shrugged her shoulders. "It's not like I'm doing it on purpose." She grumbled, childishly upset by Blake's reaction. She understood where she was coming from, but did a harmless touch warrant such hostility?

"No, I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so harsh, it's just...nerve-wracking." Blake conceded with a frustrated sigh. "Even the smallest touch could be taken the wrong way."

"If you're so worried about it, then...." Yang hesitated, the words getting caught in her throat. _Maybe we shouldn't be in this sort of relationship_. Yang hadn't known exactly what she was getting into and now she worried if it was more than she could handle. The secrecy was already starting to get to her. "We should hang out. Like, at the arcade or something." She suggested instead, unwilling to be the first to suggest they stop whatever it was they were doing. She didn't have the heart.

"Like a date?" Blake's ears perked curiously and Yang was surprised to see a flicker of excitement in her eyes. There were moments where she foolishly suspected that Blake didn't actually feel anything for her, that it was all too good to be true, but small things like this assured her differently.

"I-I mean...if you want it to be..." She shrugged nonchalantly, a bit flustered to be agreeing. She was asking _Blake_ _Belladonna_  on a date. Just a few months ago she never would have imagined that daydream coming true.

"Saturday then. Friday is Valentine's, so I'll be busy with...you know." Blake trailed off, looking away in shame. She didn't even have the heart to mention his name and Yang wasn't sure if she was grateful for it or just more annoyed by it.

"You aren't, like..." Yang sighed and anxiously rubbed her neck. She didn't want to be _that_  person who made demands of their girlfriend, but another part of her was sure she would hate herself if she didn't even ask. "...going to _do_  anything with him, right?" Blake was silent for a moment, her ears sliding back as she very carefully considered her response.

"He'll expect me to." She answered softly, refusing to meet Yang's gaze. She held her arm against herself, suddenly feeling very far away and impossible to reach. Yang swore that her heart broke.

"Then say no." She offered instantly, eager to hear Blake's assurances that he would never touch her again. He was disgusting and he didn't deserve to have that privilege. Hell, she was tempted to cut off his dick knowing what he might have done.

"It's not that simple, Yang." Blake tried to argue, but it was such a moronic thing to argue that Yang felt her blood boil and she could tell by the way Blake flinched that her eyes had gone red. If that bastard had ever ignored Blake's "no" then she would kill him.

"It _is_  that simple." She insisted firmly. "He has no right to do whatever he wants with you! It doesn't matter that he's your boyfriend; if you say no then that means no!" And suddenly, to Yang's horror, Blake hugged her tightly and struggled to hide a choked sob. Her shoulders shook and Yang wrapped her arms around her comfortingly, the anger quickly dissipating. It was obvious that he had hurt her before and while she felt a burning hatred for him, right now Blake was far more important.

Yang shushed her gently and sent deathly glares to anybody who glanced their way, warning everyone that this was not their business to intrude in. The bell rang but she ignored it. One tardy slip was nothing to her. Blake needed a shoulder to cry on and Yang had offered both of hers long before they had ever started dating. She intended to keep to her word. So when Blake managed to get through her sobs that Yang should get to class she simply assured her that she was far more important than her attendance record. It was a few minutes before Blake had calmed down enough to pull away, wiping her face with her forearm. She looked up at Yang with hesitance in her eyes, clearly still uncomfortable with broaching the topic.

"I'm not going to ask." Yang assured her before she could say anything. "I know you would tell me everything if you thought you could talk about it. So don't worry, Blake." She glanced around before placing a gentle kiss between her fuzzy ears. One flicked and tickled her cheek. "I care about you, so whenever you're ready to talk about it, I'll be there to listen."

"Thank you, Yang." Blake whispered with a soft smile, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Her expression fell along with her gaze. "I'm sorry for ruining your day."

"Don't be silly. Seeing you is the best part of my day." Yang assured her softly. "And we don't have to hang out for Valentine's if you don't want to." She added assuringly. At this, however, Blake's eyes widened and she jumped to respond.

"No! No, it's fine. Please." Her head sank lower, ears back. "I really want to." Yang would have been lying if she claimed her heart hadn't skipped at all, but she was, admittedly, feeling a bit guilty for it. She knew she would treat Blake like she deserved, but none of it would matter if she never left that waste of space.

-/-/-/-/-

Yang walked towards the buses with Ruby by her side, laughing as her younger sister recalled her antics over the course of the day. A voice called out to her before someone grabbed her backpack and Yang was tugged backwards. She turned around, expecting a friend by the rough way they grabbed her attention. Instead she saw a girl with scales sparsely covering her face and she recognized the faunus as one of Blake's friends.

"Did you need something?" Yang asked as she eyed the girl cautiously. If this girl was a friend of Blake's then it was likely she was a friend of Adam's as well. The girl suddenly seemed unsure of herself and looked away as she spoke.

"Um, I...wanted to talk to you. About Blake." Yang raised a brow expectantly, silently telling her to continue. "Ilia, remember? I'm a good friend of hers. I'd...really appreciate it if I could talk to you privately." She added with a wincing smile, gesturing towards Ruby.

"Go ahead and get on the bus, Rubes. I'll be there in a minute." Yang urged her sister away and Ruby shrugged as she turned around to continue towards the bus. Yang turned back to Ilia and crossed her arms. "Alright. What did you want to say? Stay away from her? Cause Adam's already said that plenty of times. I have no intention of listening to him."

"What? No. No, I wasn't going to..." Ilia sighed and shook her head. "I need to start over. Okay." She took a breath to collect herself, as if she had been rehearsing what to say. When she opened her eyes they were hard and resolute. "I care about Blake a lot. She means a lot to me and I don't want you ruining her life for no good reason. I know you two are a thing," Yang tensed and Ilia immediately noticed. " _But_  I'm trying to be supportive of her. Even if I don't get what she sees in a human."

"What's your point?" Yang asked her stiffly. Had Blake told her friend that they were now dating or could Ilia just figure it out? Yang doubted that Blake would easily admit to cheating on Adam.

"My point is that I want to make sure you're serious about her. Crossing Adam is dangerous enough for you, but I don't want her getting hurt either. I want to know that the risk is for a good reason." Yang narrowed her eyes as she considered the question, eventually releasing a small sigh.

"I am serious about her. I don't think I've ever known someone that drives me crazy like she does." Yang laughed nervously and rubbed her neck. She dropped her arm and shook her head sadly. "I don't want her getting hurt. If it's really that bad between them then shouldn't we report him to the cops?" Ilia scoffed and crossed her arms, an annoyed expression crossing her face.

"You really think they'd do anything about it? The police don't care what happens to faunus." Yang glanced away, some part of her still unable to face that truth. "If we're lucky, things will get out of hand at a protest he attends and he ends up getting shot." Ilia snapped, her voice venomous.

"Well I can't just stand by and do nothing when I know that she's being abused." Yang admitted weakly, her heart feeling heavy. Voicing the reality of the situation broke her heart. Anger swelled in her chest and her hands tightened into fists. "God I want to punch that smug grin off his stupid face!"

"I know." Ilia agreed with an amused scoff. Her gaze fell. "I've known Blake for years. Before Adam she was like a ray of sunshine, but now she's...more like a cloudy day. Gloomy." Ilia sighed and shrugged. "She probably won't ever be the same, but I think she can get close if he gets out of her life. We just have to be patient."

"I'm not known for my patience." Yang admitted with a forced laugh. "Anyway, I'm glad that Blake has at least one friend that cares about her." Ilia smiled at that and nodded.

"And I'm glad she found a partner that's going to treat her well." She returned earnestly, the sentiment making Yang grin. "You may be human, but you're certainly better than Adam."

"The fact that I'm a girl doesn't bother you?" Yang asked curiously. Ilia laughed and shrugged as she rocked on her feet.

"Well, that would make me a bit of a hypocrite." She froze when she noticed the surprise in Yang's eyes. "I mean...um..." Her scales turned pink and it was with this change in color that Yang realized what type of faunus Ilia was. Not that it was more interesting than learning the faunus was interested in girls, of course. "I'm...just gonna go." She took one step back and when Yang offered her an amused smile she turned and walked away.

As Yang got onto the bus a part of her wondered if Ilia was interested in any... _specific_ girl.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Adam was quiet as he ate his salad, taking his time to enjoy the meal rather than filling the table with meaningless conversation. Blake used to enjoy going places with him, spending time with him, but now it only felt like an obligation. Her phone had buzzed in her pocket once during the whole dinner and the message had been from her mother. She appreciated that Yang showed restraint when she spent time with Adam, but a part of her was disappointed that the blonde hadn't been pestering her. Tomorrow, Blake reminded herself. Tomorrow they could spend hours together. They'd have to drive to the town over and that would be a pain, but it was worth it if they could go out somewhere together.

Adam cleared his throat, tearing Blake away from her thoughts. She was with Adam right now. She had to be careful with how she presented herself. One small suspicion and he wouldn't drop it for weeks. Luckily he had been clearing his throat for no outward reason and continued eating. Blake frowned. The silence was starting to bother her.

"Is your salad good?" She asked awkwardly, eager to start conversation but not knowing how to do so naturally. Adam looked up at her with a raised brow, swallowing before replying.

"I wouldn't be eating it otherwise." He told her curtly before taking another bite. Blake looked down at her salmon, only half eaten. She didn't really feel like finishing it, but she didn't know what else to do with herself. Her phone buzzed in her bag and she grabbed it, foolishly anticipating a message from Yang. It was Ilia, asking how things were going. "Are you really using your phone while we're having dinner?" Adam spoke up, his expression showing annoyance.

"We weren't talking." Blake defended without thinking. "B-Besides, it's just Ilia."

"She should know better than to interrupt our dinner." He grumbled. "Put the phone away." She hesitated, but saw no reason not to comply. Just as she opened her bag the phone buzzed again and the notification showed that Yang had sent her an image. No context. Her curiosity burned. "Put the phone _away_." Adam repeated more firmly and she ignored her curiosity for the moment. She could always check it later.

"I'm sorry." She apologized half-heartedly, knowing it was better not to test him. He sighed and returned to his meal, never responding to her apology. That usually meant that all was forgotten.

 

The rest of their dinner passed by much the same. Adam had ordered the special Valentine's desert for them and Blake had pushed herself to partake if only to please him. He drove them back to his house and though Blake hesitated in going inside with him, she eventually complied. He made them drinks and though Blake hesitated, she complied. His parents wouldn't be home that night, he had told her. They were off on their own Valentine's date, no doubt arguing with each other about whether or not the expenses were worth it. Blake felt blessed that her parents still got along. Yang's had separated because of irresponsibility and death, Ilia's had grown distant, and Adam's actively fought with each other. She should be more grateful.

Adam excused himself and left the couch for the bathroom, giving Blake a minute alone. She pulled out her phone, finally having an opportunity to look at the message Yang had sent her. The picture was a cat with raised fur and back in agitation, hissing at an oblivious bull. The message told her that Yang knew she should have remained silent for the rest of the night, but she couldn't resist sharing it. Blake allowed herself a small smile, but a part of her replaced it with a frown.

 _Do you just see as animals?_ It was an intrusive thought that she almost thought better of asking her directly. Yang immediately replied.

 _No! Blake you know I don't think like that._ Blake felt her ears lower in shame. She knew Yang wasn't that sort of person, but a lifetime of humans demeaning her had left her vulnerable to even harmless jokes. _Im sorry. I didnt realize it would offend you._

 _Its fine. It was cute._ Blake smiled as she typed out her next message. _You're cute._

"What are you smiling about?" She jumped at the sound of Adam's voice, the man standing at the hall's entrance. She had to be more careful; she didn't even hear him exit the bathroom. Her phone buzzed with Yang's reply but Blake quickly put her phone away.

"Nothing. Just a silly picture that Ilia sent me." She lied, turning away from him. He hummed as he sat down next to her and slid his arm around her. He casually began playing with the hem of her shirt.

"Make sure to tell her that Valentine's Day is about you and me. It's not her place to be interrupting our date." He leaned closer to her, whispering in her faunus ear. "She knows just as well what we're doing." Blake shuddered, an uneasy feeling gripping her chest. He placed soft kisses against her neck and she felt sick. She didn't want him to touch her like this.

A growl resonated in his throat as his hand slid under her shirt, cupping her chest before squeezing it. Blake winced and squirmed away, but she was stuck. She couldn't fight this anyway. He might suspect something if she suddenly started to refuse him. He urged her down onto the couch and Blake heard her phone buzz again nearby. Adam grabbed it and looked at the screen with a frown. She felt panic grip her chest.

"I thought I told you to stop being friends with that human." He said, his eyes narrowing at her. Blake tried to swallow, though her mouth was suddenly bone dry. Adam hummed as he appraised her reaction and soon Blake heard the dial tone as he called Yang. She wanted to speak up and stop him, but her voice wasn't working.

" _Blake_?" She could hear Yang's confused voice and her heart ached knowing it was only a matter of time. " _Why are you-_?"

"Leave Blake alone, Xiao-Long." Adam growled into the phone. "I won't have any dykes hovering around her like a damn vulture, _especially_  human filth like you. This is your only warning." And with that he hung up and tossed the phone aside, returning his attention to Blake. "Now, where were we?" He grinned as he reached to unbuckle his belt. Blake heard the phone buzz a couple more times, but she was trying not to think about anything.

-/-/-/-/-

_Aw youre just saying that_

_Hey arent you on a date rn? Why you texting me lol_

_Wtf was that about? Your bf is a damn psycho_

_Shit, did he figure us out?_

_...are you okay?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who's read this! This is by far my most successful story and it is totally my personal favorite ^  
> We've gathered over two hundred kudos together and that means so much to me! I'm glad you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it :)


	11. Born To Be Kissed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so much longer than I was expecting it to be, but I guess that works out for everyone! Enjoy friends! ^
> 
> Chapter Title is from A Girl Like You- Tom Jones

Blake frowned as she stared into the mirror, her eyes narrowing at the vague lines of her ribs. She didn't look right; too gaunt, too skinny. She no longer had that healthy pudge that her mother used to pinch when she was younger. She knew it was because she only ate one meal a day far too often. Was she supposed to force herself to eat even when she had no appetite? That didn't seem healthy to her either.

There was no way Yang would find her attractive with nothing more than skin and bones. Her frown deepened. No, Yang was sure to be disgusted if she ever saw this. If the ears hadn't turned her away, if the boyfriend and the secrecy and her persistent anxiety hadn't driven her away...this definitely would. As much as she tried to convince herself that this was nonsensical paranoia telling her things, Blake felt a sickening sense of dread. This would be the final straw that turns Yang away.

She was also disgusted by the "love marks" on her pale skin. They served as an unwelcome reminder. She really shouldn't feel disgusted by her own body. She knew that wasn't normal, wasn't healthy. It didn't help any, though. She looked herself over again, wondering how anyone might find her attractive. Yang had called her beautiful on multiple occasions and Adam had made it abundantly clear that he too found her attractive, but the appeal was lost to her. Yang was a million times prettier than she was. Muscular, curvy, not skinny but not chubby. She was the definition of blonde bombshell. Yang also didn't have those gaudy ears that she did. How was she ever single for so long? Surely she must have been regularly approached.

Blake didn't deserve her.

"Blake? Your friend is here." She jumped at the sound of her mother's voice and quickly finished getting dressed. She hovered a hand over her perfume, hesitating before scolding herself for doing so. This was a date. They had agreed that this was definitely a date. A date with Yang certainly called for perfume. She wanted to be her best, didn't she? Yang had seen her at her worst; she deserved to see Blake at her best.

She left the bathroom shortly after, slipping on a hat and the brown leather jacket as she approached the front door. She saw her father standing in the doorway with a friendly smile, chatting freely with their guest. If only he knew that this girl intended on stealing his daughter's heart. Or rather, she had already succeeded.

"Ah, Blake!" Ghira stepped aside from his place in the doorway when he noticed her, revealing Yang with a nervous smile on her lips. The first things Blake noticed was that she was wearing a faint amount of makeup and the beanie that Blake had gotten her. Next she noticed the skinny jeans and somehow knew that the choice was not coincidental. "I was just getting to know your friend a bit. Don't let me keep you." Ghira patted her shoulder as she left the house and joined Yang out in the cold. The door closed behind them and suddenly the situation felt much more real.

"So..." Yang laughed nervously as they walked down to the street. Her father's truck was parked up onto the curb, proving to Blake her impatience. "You look nice." She offered in compliment with an endearing little nervous smile. Blake hadn't put much effort into her appearance since the two had been friends for months now, just a touch of make-up and her best outfit. Yang, though, had clearly put quite a bit of effort into her appearance; be it her hair, clothes, or even make-up. And that perfume...God, that vanilla perfume that used to be ingrained into her jacket. It was _intoxicating_.

"Thanks." Blake flushed as she realized that she hadn't responded quite as quickly as she possibly should have. She had gotten too distracted with everything that Yang was to focus enough on her words. She felt the need to return the compliment. Something simple that was genuine. "You smell _really_  good." Blake told her, her voice a bit too breathy for the comment to be innocent. Curse her faunus obsession with smells! Curse Yang's wonderful taste in perfumes! That damn smell was so soft and sweet and pleasantly warm just like the girl wearing it and it wasn't fair at all.

"Oh, um...thanks." Yang either didn't bother hiding her grin or was simply unable to. Either way her reaction to the compliment was clear as day and Blake felt her heart stutter when beautiful amethyst eyes met hers. "You smell nice too. Like roses." She saw the look in her eyes, the way her lips tensed and her tongue slipped out to wet them. She wanted a kiss and Blake didn't want to resist. But she did. They were a faunus and human in broad daylight in the middle of the faunus neighborhood. Blake couldn't bring herself to do it no matter how much she wanted to.

"D-Do you like roses, then?" Blake cursed the way she stammered. As if she wasn't already struggling not to die of embarrassment. It wouldn't have been a surprise to her, really. Yang seemed the romantic sort to her and roses certainly fell into that category.

"I was going to bring you one actually. Ruby stole it for some boy she likes, though." She admitted with reddened cheeks. Whether it was from the cold or their sudden close proximity that had surely only happened in the last few seconds, Blake was quite unsure. All she knew was that Yang looked endlessly endearing.

"Well, I appreciate the sentiment." Blake hummed as she turned to open the truck's passenger door. Yang quickly circled the truck and hopped inside, turning it on without actually starting the engine. Blake frowned, concern filling her when she noticed the strange look in her eyes. "Is something wrong?" The blonde parted her lips to reply, but seemed to quickly think better of her words and she turned away completely. Soon, a hurtful sigh escaped her lips.

"I know it's not my place to ask you not to... _spend time_ with Adam." She started, the difficulty with which she said the words making their true meaning obvious. "I was jealous, but also worried about you." She hesitated and Blake couldn't find it in herself to continue looking at her. "You didn't answer my texts until this morning. Please tell me the truth. Did something happen last night? Did he hurt you?" Blake hesitated, that sick feeling returning as she struggled to voice her answer.

"I'm fine." She assured her, though it wasn't what she wanted to say. Clearly, it was not what Yang wanted to hear either.

"That's not an answer." Yang scoffed bitterly, anger in her eyes. The color of them darkened slightly. "I'm not going to demand anything from you. I'm not like him. I just care about you, Blake, and I need to know. Even if I don't want to hear it." Yang turned to look at her and Blake fell silent from the desperate look on her face. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Yang, I..." Blake hesitated when her voice cracked with emotion. "I don't know how to say it. I've never had to. And I don't want to hurt you. That's the last thing I want."

"I don't want you to be hurt either, Blake. But you keep _getting_ hurt and I can't do anything about it. I feel useless." Yang admitted, turning her head away and hanging it. "I've always tried to be strong to protect myself and the people I care about, but beating him up won't solve anything."

"I wish it would." Blake admitted quietly. "I'm sorry I didn't answer you sooner." She offered in apology. Yang tensed and shook her head.

"Don't apologize. That's not why I brought it up." Blake opened her mouth to insist, but hesitated. Was she so used to Adam that she assumed everyone expected an apology? "I understand why you don't want to talk about it. You don't have to. I'm just..." Yang released a tense breath and ran one of her hands through her hair. "I'm just appalled that he could ever do something like that to you. That you've been putting up with it for so long. I want to stop it but I don't know how." Her hands tightened around the steering wheel. "If you'd just leave him then-"

"I want to, but I _can't_ , Yang."

"Why not!?" Yang snapped, her knuckles turning white from such a forceful grip. A tense silence stretched between them and Yang removed her hands from the wheel and dragged them over her face. "I'm sorry. I know. He's crazy and unpredictable. You shouldn't make impulsive decisions." Yang assured her with a small nod. "Maybe...maybe it'd be best if we call it off between us. At least until it's safer."

"What?" Blake felt like somebody had just kicked her in the stomach. "We haven't even gone on our first date and you want to break up?" She asked weakly, her voice shaking uneasily.

"I don't want you getting hurt, Blake." Yang told her firmly. "It's not like I want this to end, but it's the best choice, isn't it?"

"I understand what you're saying, but is that really enough to end things?" Blake insisted quickly, unwilling to let her do this even if she was making sense. Blake didn't want things to make sense. That's why she liked being with Yang so much. None of it made sense and she _loved_  that. "You make me happy. I don't want this to end." She whimpered pathetically.

"Like I said, I don't want to either." A silence fell over them and Blake felt her chest tighten uncomfortably. She was making sense, but Blake didn't want any of it to be true. "I just can't stand knowing he might find out about us and snap. I don't want you getting hurt because of me." She added softly.

"Then is our date cancelled?" Blake asked cautiously, her ears flat against her head.

"Only if you're agreeing to end this."

"And that's up to me?" Yang hesitated, her face flushing slightly as she glanced away.

"If you want to keep doing this, I wouldn't be able to refuse." She admitted honestly. Blake reached over to take her hand, relishing the warmth that radiated off of her. She looked up to meet Yang's eyes and couldn't resist at least asking.

"Can we kiss?" Yang's expression fell, clearly assuming that this would be their last. She nodded and welcomed Blake's advance, her hand running through raven hair as their lips met. Blake felt her chest flutter and knew from yesterday that Adam failed to make her feel this way. This giddy excitement that made her stomach do flips and her heart sing. She couldn't give this up. She reluctantly pulled away for breath and was tempted to lean forward again for more. "Okay." Her voice was unsteady as she met Yang's eyes. There was so much depth to them she was almost scared she might drown. "Let's go on this date."

"You're serious?" Yang's expression brightened, though she remained cautious. "What about Adam? You aren't worried?"

"Of course I am, but I know that I'd rather risk being caught than not be able to kiss you." Blake purred, her lips curling into a smile. "You drive me crazy like I never thought a girl could." Yang barked a laugh and turned away stiffly, her face flushed brightly.

"I think I know what you mean." With that the car started moving and they were on their way.

 

Blake felt like she should say something, but she didn't know _what_  to say. She felt guilt consume her heart, for constantly doubting herself around Yang, for wearing rose perfume when it was _his_  favorite, for repeatedly lying to Yang when she told her that she had a decent day or a decent night's sleep. All of these things topped with the fact that she was giving the girl false hopes when she _knew_  that she didn't have the nerve to leave Adam.

It was a few minutes of silence before Yang was the one to speak up, just like she always was. "I'm sorry about earlier. I was kind of in my own head and it was freaking me out. I don't want that to ruin our day." They stopped at a red light and Yang turned to look at her. "We don't get to hang out very often anymore. Not as much as I'd like anyway." She admitted with a nervous laugh.

"Don't worry about it, Yang." Blake assured her. It was true that they never seemed to have enough time together. She was glad to know that Yang felt the same. "After being stuck with Adam all day on Valentine's, seeing you is like a breath of fresh air." Blake admitted softly, hoping that mentioning him was not pushing boundaries.

"Oh! Speaking of which!" Yang grinned as she made the truck crawl to a stop on the curb. She put the vehicle in park before reaching over to the glove box. It popped open and Blake yelped as countless wrapped pieces of chocolate came tumbling out onto her lap. Yang laughed brightly, her eyes shimmering with amusement. "Oh man! That was just as great as I was hoping! You would not believe how long it took me to pack those things in!" She enthused as she picked one up and unwrapped it.

"I'm not sure whether I should be annoyed or flattered." Blake muttered before leaning down to pick up the pieces that fell to the car's floor.

"And that's exactly the reaction I was hoping for." Yang assured her, placing the chocolate piece in her mouth with a beaming smile. "That's, like, sixty chocolate hearts. Which is not nearly as much as you deserve." She joked with a faint blush on her cheeks. "But nobody can eat a thousand chocolate hearts. Not even Nora."

"I don't know if I can even eat sixty." Blake was willing to try, though. She unwrapped one of the pieces and, struck with an idea, turned to Yang. "Would you be willing to help?"

"Of course. Why would I ever turn down chocolate?" She reached for another piece but Blake stopped her hand and met her eyes with a playfulness that she wasn't very familiar with herself. Amethyst eyes widened as Blake lifted the chocolate heart in her hand, already unwrapped and ready to be eaten. "You cannot be serious."

"Oh I am very serious." She smirked and shamelessly brought the chocolate to Yang's lips, a giddiness filling her when the blonde decided to play along. The butterflies in her stomach had become a swarm and the warmth of Yang's breath on her hand was not helping. Yang made a clearly conscious effort not to take this impulsive little game too far and avoided all contact between Blake's fingers and her tongue. Still, the softness of her lips was enough to make her head spin. Her eyes, though. Her eyes were what really caught Blake off guard.

"I hope you're happy with yourself." Yang teased as she turned away to start the car, her face flushed brightly despite her attempt at returning to a casual atmosphere.

"Hm, very." The tone of her voice surprised even Blake. She didn't recognize that tone or the unique way her stomach fluttered or the way her head was spinning and her thoughts were out of control. There were several things in her head better left unspoken. It was too soon for all of that. Still, a part of her wondered if Yang was thinking the same sorts of things.

For now she would try to pick up all these chocolate hearts.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Skeeball could not distract Yang from the girl next to her and what exactly said girl had done earlier. She was still shaken by Blake's unexpected flirtatious nature. She wasn't about to start complaining, but she wasn't sure how to handle it. She had never really had a relationship she cared about this much with a person she was this into. She swore she would have a heart attack by their third date. And if third dates really went how the formula dictated then she would _definitely_  have an aneurysm.

Yang silently scolded herself for thinking something like that. She didn't like Blake for her looks so she shouldn't be thinking something so vain. Not to mention how she'd likely been mistreated just yesterday. She felt awful for even considering doing the same sorts of things. She wasn't Adam, though. And if anything were to happen between her and Blake it would be Blake's choice. Curse her teenage mind. She needed to focus on something else.

"You think they have those old arcade machines? Like Wac-Man or Tethris?" Yang asked as she stepped away from the skeeball machine. Blake followed at her side, her arms filled with tickets.

"I thought I saw Wac-Man over in that direction." Yang was only vaguely aware of the response because down the aisle she spotted the perfect arcade game. It was challenging and required focus but was worth it in the end because _everybody_  loved stuffed animals.

A crane machine.

Blake must have noticed her grinning because her next words were: "Do not." Yang did not listen of course and eagerly approached the cubic masterpiece filled with determination. She spotted a black stuffed bear with protruding spikes and a white mask over its face, red markings complementing its red eyes. It was perfection. "You know these things are rigged right?" Blake further discouraged her, but Yang had already set her mind to it and there was no turning back.

"I've got this." She rolled up her short sleeves over her shoulders and slipped the tokens into the machine. Blake muttered in disbelief, holding a hand over her face as Yang eagerly circled the machine to judge the angle. She kneeled and peered carefully, thoughtfully, into the glass window. Finally satisfied with her angle, Yang confidently pressed the drop button and the claw descended onto the stuffed bear. It hooked onto the tag and Yang tensed as she watched it swing in the claw's grip.

"No way." Blake muttered in disbelief as the stuffed animal reached the top without falling. Yang held her breath, knowing from experience to never celebrate too early. The bear swung in the claw's grip as it moved to the side and aimed itself over the chute. The claw released and Yang pumped a fist victoriously as it slid right in. "You have got to be kidding me." Yang grabbed the bear from behind the flap and turned to Blake with a grin.

"And to think that you doubted me!" She expressed dramatically as she handed the stuffed animal to her. "All yours, milady."

"You got lucky." Blake rolled her eyes as she made sure to keep Yang's ego in check. Yang knew that she was probably right, but at the moment she couldn't be bothered to find her humility. The joke was too easy to make.

"Not quite yet." She purred with a flirtatious smile. Blake immediately noticed the innuendo and shoved her away half heartedly, earning only laughter from the blonde. Yang ignored the way her heart hammered in her chest, how her stomach fluttered when Blake's usual scolding never came. Being with her was like paradise, like every day was sunny and warm, but _being with her_  was like heaven, like every moment was true and genuine bliss. She didn't want the day to end, but she knew she couldn't keep Blake all to herself. As much as she wanted to.

"Holy cow." Blake sputtered in surprise as she checked the time on her phone. "We've been here for four hours already." She showed Yang her phone's screen to share the time and Yang suppressed a smile when she saw her phone's lock screen. It was a picture of Blake, seemingly a few years younger, on the beach with two other faunus. Yang thought it was safe to assume that the large, burly one was her father and the much shorter woman with sleek felid ears was her mother.

"Guess time flies when you're having fun." Yang offered in response as she stretched her arms over her head. She didn't say anything when she noticed Blake's eyes glance her way before snapping straight ahead. "You want me to drive you home?"

"I don't know how else I'd get back." Blake answered with a wry smile. Yang scoffed in mock offense and Blake giggled, the only reaction she could have hoped for. "But yes," Blake nodded her head slightly as she continued. "We should be heading back soon."

"Just one more thing before we turn in our tickets." Yang told her with a grin as she slipped her hand around Blake's arm. The faunus stumbled as Yang pulled her along, straight towards the photobooth.

"Yang, no." Blake argued before the blonde had even said anything, pulling her arm away. "That's so cheesy! Even for you." She said with an amused scoff.

"Cone on! I'll pay for them!" Yang insisted as she pulled Blake into the photobooth, sliding across the bench to give her room to sit down. Blake rolled her eyes but played along, sliding close to Yang without really noticing. Yang noticed, though. She couldn't stop staring at her for the entire day. Was it any surprise that she felt her heart racing in her chest now that they finally got a moment alone? She hoped Blake would notice this opportunity. She was shamelessly wishing for it.

"Two copies; one for each of us." Blake suggested with a soft smile. Yang nodded in agreement, the words getting caught in her throat. She pressed the start button and a countdown started up on the small digital screen. Blake scooted back and leaned against her, her lips curling into a delighted smile as Yang wrapped an arm around her. _Click_.

"You really should have let us get rid of all these tickets before this." Blake chuckled as she struggled to hold the tangle of tickets in her arms, the stuffed bear sitting atop it all. Yang laughed as the bear fell to the floor and the booth took the next photo as Blake bent down to get it. "I wish it would warn us." Blake grumbled as she set the bear on the bench beside her.

"There's a countdown, Blakey." Yang snickered. She noticed the countdown hit three and quickly moved her hands to help hold the tickets. "Here, give me bunny ears!" Blake flinched and moved her hand behind Yang's head, poking up two fingers in opposite directions. _Click_.

"You're insufferable." Blake whispered with a smile as she flattened her hand on the back of Yang's head. A tense moment flickered between them and Yang lost her smile, inching forward as Blake came to meet her halfway. Their lips touched and Yang felt her soul transcend as she buried her hands in raven locks. Her ears barely registered the resounding _click_  of the next photo being taken. Dammit. Now there was definitely no way she could let anyone see these. Was there an option to cancel?

"Did it catch that?" Blake asked as their kiss broke, her golden eyes filled with fear.

"I-I think it did." She answered honestly and Blake laughed, shaking her head and leaning it against Yang's shoulder. _Click_. "One more." Yang reminded her, reaching up to remove Blake's hat. Her ears angled back, but as soon as Yang touched them they perked.

"Yang..." Blake's warning tone fell on deaf ears as the blonde continued scratching the soft furry ears.

"I like your ears." Yang admitted softly, her hand pausing to stroke Blake's hair. Blake was quiet in response, looking away in shame. Yang leaned her head against hers, their noses brushing, and the booth took one last photo of them.

"What do you like about them?" Blake asked softly, hesitantly, her lashes fluttering as she met Yang's eyes. It was crazy to be so close, almost like they were one person. Yang smiled and her hand found Blake's below them.

"They're soft. And expressive. I think it's cool that you can hear things I can't." She gently ran her thumb over the back of Blake's hand. "Since you hid them I'm guessing you're embarrassed of them, but you really shouldn't be. They're beautiful. _You're_  beautiful."

"Thank you." Blake whispered before tilting her head to catch Yang's lips again. The younger of the two felt her heart flutter and eagerly returned the kiss, but Blake regretfully pulled away. "I don't want to go back out there." She admitted quietly.

"If you don't grab the pictures someone might see them." That got her attention. She jumped up and darted outside the booth, leaving the tickets behind. Yang laughed and took a deep breath to steady her racing heart before stepping out to join her.

"Here." Blake handed her one of the rolls, cheeks flushed brightly and eyes refusing to meet hers. Yang smirked and leaned down to bring their faces close, relishing the flustered expression on her.

"Why so flustered, Blakey?" Yang asked with a playful tilt in her voice. "You look like you've done something scandalous."

"Don't patronize me." Blake bit back. Yang's joyous laugh was cut short when she felt a hand on her shoulder, firm but not aggressive. She turned and saw a young man roughly a few years older than her with a fascinated look in his eye.

"Sorry if I spooked you." He apologized with an embarrassed laugh. He was rugged looking, with semi-long hair and a stubble. He might have been cute, but Yang already had her eye on someone. She frowned and raised one brow expectantly. "I saw you earlier but didn't have the nerve to talk to you. What's your name?"

"Yang, and I'm taken." She answered brusquely, not failing to notice Blake's ears perk. The man's shoulders fell in disappointment, but he smiled despite that.

"Oh yeah? Well, he's a lucky guy I bet. You seem like a real catch." He was about to walk away and it was probably a bad idea for her to correct him, but something told her that she needed to.

"She." Blake grabbed her arm, clearly trying to convince her not to start something unnecessarily. The guy had heard already and it was too late to take it back. Yang's gaze hardened. She wasn't allowed to tell anyone that she was Blake's, but she'd be damned if she wouldn't correct him. It was stupid and impulsive, but it felt good. She had a _girlfriend_. Not a boyfriend.

"She?" He echoed the single word, his eyes narrowing. Yang didn't flinch. A reasonable person would have apologized for the assumption and walked away. A reasonable person would not notice how tightly Blake clung to her and sneer. " _Her_?" He pointed to Blake, the judgement so painfully obvious in his eyes that Yang felt her fingers twitch.

"Yang, let it go." Blake whispered to her. She didn't want to see a fight. Or maybe she didn't want anyone to know about them. Maybe she didn't want anyone to know she would date a human. Maybe she didn't want anyone to know that Yang would date a faunus. Whatever it was that made Blake speak up, it only made Yang angrier.

"What's it to you?" She snapped, completely ignoring Blake's hand on her arm.

"Not only are you gay, but you're a faunus fucker too?" The guy cringed in disgust and Yang lashed out at him, grabbing his collar.

"Say it again!" A part of her almost couldn't believe such a term would be so boldly used, another was infuriated that she did. Blake was everything to her and a second pair of ears was so incredibly irrelevant that she couldn't fathom why anyone would care. "Call me that again, asshole!" Most of all, she hated that Blake was right there witnessing this, hearing such an awful term.

"Yang!" Blake grabbed her arm and she immediately released him, taking a step back. He brushed himself off and cursed at her under his breath as he stormed away. Her hands were shaking and she was vaguely aware of Blake picking up her hat from the floor. Yang hadn't even known that she dropped it. "Let's just go." Blake told her coldly as she covered her ears with the hat, walking off towards the entrance. Yang felt panic grip her and hurried after her.

She wanted to apologize but didn't know why she needed to. The guy was homophobic and racist; he deserved some rough handling sooner or later. Still, Blake seemed upset and she knew it was her fault. That much was obvious. Was it because she had resorted to violence so quickly? She had let her anger get the best of her. Maybe she should be more careful about it. Blake didn't seem to like it whenever she got angry. Like it scared her...

Yang scolded herself for being so stupid. Of course Blake was scared of her when she was angry. If Blake was used to Adam lashing out at her, then she must expect Yang to do the same. Yang knew she was wrong, though. She was nothing like Adam and she would _never_  hurt Blake. Then again...Blake didn't know that for sure.

"I'm sorry." Yang spoke up when they were in the truck, deciding it was best to get the apology to her as soon as possible. "I knew it was stupid to correct him, to start something, but it felt nice to tell someone that I was taken. That I had a girlfriend." The secrecy had gotten to her, just like she had known it would. "And then...when he looked at you with that..." She growled. "That-that _look_  I could already tell what he was thinking and it just...pissed me off _so much_." Her grip tightened on the steering wheel.

"Your eyes turned red." Blake said softly, her ears lowered as she removed her hat. Yang winced imperceptibly. She hated it when her eyes did that. As if she didn't look similar enough to the piece of trash that was her mother.

"Yeah. They do that when I get really mad." She explained cautiously, nervous that Blake would hate her for it. It was a stupid fear that held no ground, but she felt it nonetheless. Blake pursed her lip in thought and was silent for just a little bit too long before speaking.

"It scared me." She admitted hesitantly, quietly, but Yang had heard and could never forget it. A rock dropped in her stomach and her chest tightened painfully, guilt consuming her as she hung her head and rest it atop the steering wheel.

"I'm really sorry." She whimpered, fighting off tears. She couldn't cry in front of Blake. She refused. "I really am, Blake. I can't control it when my eyes change, but I can control my temper. I shouldn't have started something."

"It's alright, Yang." Blake assured her softly, reaching over to grab her shoulder. "I know you're genuinely sorry for what you did, and that's more than Adam would do. It's okay. I'm not upset." Yang lifted her head and nodded softly. She was better than Adam.

"Blake? I..." She hesitated, her mouth suddenly feeling dry. "I'm not Adam. I would never hurt you. In any way. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do." Blake answered her in a soft voice, more vulnerable than before. She recognized the shift in tone and Yang was glad for it.

"And...I'm not my mom." She added, mostly for herself. "No matter how angry I get, I would _never_  hurt you." _Would never abandon you_. Her heart ached knowing she was unable to say what she really wanted to.

"I know." Blake smiled and squeezed her hand assuringly. Yang swore that this girl was going to be the death of her.

She laughed softly as a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"What is it?" Blake asked curiously, confused by the sudden burst of giggles. Yang shook her head softly and turned on the car.

"We left our tickets in the photo booth." She answered, earning a smile from Blake. "Nice going." She accused sarcastically. Blake rolled her eyes and lifted the bear.

"I managed to remember the bear, didn't I? And just imagine how excited the person who finds all those tickets will be." She offered as Yang pulled out of their parking spot. The blonde scoffed and withheld her remark. "Besides," Blake added with a playful smirk. "You were the one that distracted me."

"Distracted you? Blake, I am offended!" Yang exclaimed in mock offense, dramatically raising a hand to her chest. "However could it be _my_  fault that you forgot our tickets?" Yang glanced her way, immediately looking away again when she noticed the girl's flushed cheeks. She couldn't look at that face for more than a second while driving. She'd end up rear ending someone.

"You kissed me and then started scratching my ears." Blake muttered in reply as she sank into her seat. "And then you called them beautiful..."

"They are." Yang affirmed confidently, grinning shamelessly. She couldn't describe how good it felt to know that her cheesiness actually worked on Blake.

"And that's not something most humans would say." Blake clarified, gaining more confidence in her voice. Yang drummed her fingers against the wheel as she focused on the road, resisting the powerful urge to watch Blake as she spoke. "I was expecting cute, or...endearing."

"Well, they're those too. But it's more like...beautiful is the first word that comes to mind. The first word that does it justice. Like your laugh or your eyes. Both cute. Both endearing. But if I had to choose just one word, it would be beautiful." They stopped at a red light and Yang spared her a glance, surprised to find her flushing brightly and attempting to hide her face in her hands. "Uh...too much?" Yang asked anxiously. She hadn't thought to tone it down in case she put more pressure on Blake. She was just being honest.

"No, not at all." Blake laughed and dropped her hands, smiling wide as she looked at Yang. "I think that was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me." She admitted, effectively making Yang blush as well. "And I love how cheesy you can be. It's refreshing. And it helps that I know you mean every word." Yang felt her heart soar and in the split second that the light turned green she had the epiphany of her life.

This is what love feels like.


	12. The Lady is Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a tad shorter than the last few so apologies for that.
> 
> Chapter title is from She's A Lady - Tom Jones

As March reached its later weeks it brought with it warmer days filled with songbirds and rain clouds. Spring was upon them and Blake hated it. She didn't mind the sound of rain, it was often quite relaxing, but she did hate it when she had to step outside into a downpour because she had school. She hated getting wet. She couldn't stand showers because of the sensation of water hitting her head; she much preferred baths. Blake usually had an umbrella on her at all times in the rainy seasons because of this, but it had just so happened to have broken a few days prior from rough winds pulling it the wrong way.

It was little consolation to see everyone else drenched when she arrived at school with Adam. Most were laughing about their poor luck and teasing each other like most teenagers did. Blake managed to catch a glimpse of Yang in the hall, laughing with her sister and goofing off before school started. To see her drenched from the rain was an entirely different experience and Blake made sure to hide behind her jacket's collar in case anyone might see her smile. Adam must have caught her, though, because he grabbed the back of her jacket and urged her onward down the hall. She should have been more aware of herself. She was so obvious.

Adam didn't talk to her much for the rest of the day and when Ilia asked him if something was wrong his only reply was that he had a lot to think about. That did nothing to calm Blake's nerves. She felt like he could see right through her. Every time he looked at her she could see the gears in his head turning as he considered whether or not he should push. She tried so hard to act normal, to please him, but it was so difficult she was sure she was doing an awful job of it. This had been going on for weeks.

Blake was worrying about it so much that Yang confronted her about it during one of their dates, saying she seemed distracted. She told her everything. She couldn't hide this from Yang. Of course, that's not to say that Yang wouldn't react strongly to the news. Adam had been acting suspicious and so it seemed that Yang's worries were coming true. "We have to tell him." She said.

"He'll hurt you." Blake argued.

"Better me than you." There was no arguing with her, not when she had that look in her eye. "The cops won't do anything about domestic violence between faunus, but if he attacks _me_  then maybe-"

"Yang, just...stop." Blake shook her head with a weak sigh. This all seemed pointless to her. She had accepted her fate years ago. It was time she face the consequences of her choices. "I'm not going to let you get hurt because Adam _might_  be arrested."

"Well we can't kill him." Yang shrugged, her lips cracking into a smile. A joke. Of course she was joking, trying to hide how much this all bothered her. The smile faded and Yang leaned forward over the table, holding Blake's hand. "Blake." She met Yang's eyes and felt reassured simply by the genuine tenderness in them. "I'd give an arm and a leg for you. A few bruises is nothing."

"But...I just..." Her voice failed her and she had to look away, so ashamed to know that she put Yang through so much trouble. "I don't want you to get hurt." Yang's voice was gentle, unbelievably so, when she spoke next.

"I know. But if that's what it takes to get him out of your life then I would do it gladly." Her fingers gently massaged Blake's in assurance and she couldn't help but let the tension roll off of her shoulders. No matter what might be threatening her, with Yang she felt safe. That's what a relationship is meant to be like, she supposed.

Yang had offered to drive her home and Blake couldn't refuse. It was the concern in her eyes and the complete willingness to offer her help in any way. Blake could never say no to her. Not for fear of upsetting her, she knew Yang would always respect her choice, but simply because she adored the girl's company and would admittedly find any excuse to keep her around longer. So Blake sat in the passenger seat of Taiyang's truck as Yang drove through the faunus suburbs, passing every broken down house and street that the government hadn't bothered to help fix.

"Um, Blake?" She could feel the truck slow to a stop and when Blake looked up to see what was wrong, instant dread gripped her stomach. Adam was outside in his yard, swinging his father's sword with focused precision. He turned into a swing and noticed them, his expression darkening. "Shit, I think he saw us." Yang cursed and reluctantly pulled to the curb.

"Don't get out." Blake stopped her, concern practically choking her. She knew what would happen if Yang stepped out. She couldn't let her get hurt. "I'll talk to him." It was obvious that Yang wanted to argue, with twitching lips and furrowed brows, but she eventually turned away in surrender.

"Please be careful." She whispered, her voice almost too soft for Blake to hear how she was _begging_. She was terrified, and Blake honestly wasn't quite sure if it was unreasonable. She opened the car door, the crisp spring air washing over her face as the wind greeted her. She adjusted her jacket, tightening it around herself before bravely stepping forward.

"It seems like I was right to be worried." Adam said as she approached, his ice blue eyes narrowing with hatred. Blake opened her mouth to reply but shut it tight when he lifted the sword towards her. "Three years, Blake! Three years I've loved you and this is how you repay me? With infidelity!? With a _human_  no less!?" He swiped the sword against the ground, slicing blades of grass with the swing. "You're _disgusting_."

"Put the sword down Adam and we can talk like reasonable adults." She implored him cautiously, knowing that his temper was a hair trigger. One wrong word and she might get hurt. She _would_  get hurt.

"Reasonable!? You expect me to be reasonable when you've _betrayed_ me!?" He took a few steps towards her and Blake heard the truck's door open, Yang storming over with clenched fists. Adam didn't notice or didn't care and grabbed her by her shirt, his expression wild with rage. "And here I thought you couldn't _get_  more selfish!"

"Get away from her!" Yang grabbed his horns and yanked him away from Blake, throwing him to the ground. The sword fell to his side with a thud as he struggled to recollect himself. He seemed shaken, confused as to what was happening. Yang stood over him with tense shoulders, her eyes burning crimson. "Maybe she cheated on you because you're a piece of shit! Ever think about that!?"

"Who are _you_  to talk?" He grunted as he picked himself up. Yang didn't give him the chance, kicking him back down to the ground before he could stand. "Don't tell me you don't mind those ears!" He shouted back at her as he picked himself up. This time, Yang took a deliberate step back.

"Don't act like you know me!" She snapped.

"Stop fighting!" Blake moved between them, desperate not to have them take this too far. She didn't want either of them getting hurt. "Adam," She turned to face him, all too familiar with the anger in his eyes. "I care about her. I can't help that. I'm sorry that it's come to this, but I deserve better." She declared, firm in her stance despite the fear clawing at her chest.

"So I just wasn't good enough for you? Is that it!?" His hands clenched into fists as his stance widened, anger blazing in his eyes.

"It's _so_  much more than that." Blake spat, remembering the pain of every night with him, the shame of every kiss. She felt none of that with Yang, and she knew that was no coincidence.

"You've made your choice. And I've made mine." He hummed lowly, taking a step to his side. Blake realized a second too late that he was going for the sword. Everything moved so fast as he swung the sword sideways into her. It would have cut her, might have killed her, if Yang hadn't caught it with her hand.

"Gah! _Fuck_!" She withheld her cry of pain by biting her lip as her fingers tensed around the blade, blood dripping onto the ground beneath her. Her crimson eyes met cold blue and like a flash something snapped inside of Blake.

"Yang!" The first thought that registered was that this monster had just hurt Yang, and that every moment before this was leading up to it and she was so _stupid_  for not realizing sooner. Her hands gripped the handle of the sword tightly and forced it away from Yang, her golden eyes burning with anger as years of painful shame ignited a fire within her.

"I should have known that you'd turn against me!" Adam shouted as he yanked the sword away from her, slicing further across Yang's hand. She cried out and fell to her knees, holding her hand as blood poured out. "Everyone always does."

"You've forced my hand, Adam. I can't just ignore it anymore." Blake told him firmly, ignoring the fear in her chest that Yang might be in serious danger. She needed to deal with Adam first. "You can hurt me, but I'll be damned if I let you hurt the people I care about!"

"And the fact that you've hurt me? That means _nothing_  to you!?" He exclaimed, his voice growing shrill with emotion.

"It's nothing compared to how much you've hurt _me_." She hissed back, ears flat against her head in anger. He scoffed and tossed his sword to the ground, cracking his knuckles with a look of concentration. He rushed forward and grabbed her, throwing a punch and another and another, pushing her to the ground and slamming her head.

"I gave you everything! I trusted you when the world was at my throat! I can't believe you!" Police sirens came down the street and Blake felt vague hope. She could make out their voices shouting demands, a dog barking viciously. She couldn't understand any of the words, though. Her ears were ringing. Adam moved off of her, she was barely aware of him leaning to the side, and gunshots rang out. His sword thudded to the ground with his body, his cries of pain likely haunting her for years to come. Blake forced herself up, ignored the pain, ignored the way her face burned and her eyes couldn't focus. She needed to make sure Yang was okay.

"Call an ambulance." One officer told the others as he rushed over to Adam, restraining him just in case the gunshots hadn't stopped him. Blake didn't see him move. She couldn't be bothered to care.

"Are you okay?" Blake asked Yang with a hoarse voice, her voice shot from cries of pain. Yang's hand stained the grass red as she tried to stable herself.

"I could...ask you the same thing." She lifted her left hand to Blake's cheek, bringing her close to lean their heads against each other. "It's gonna be okay." Yang assured her softly. Blake hadn't realized she was crying, hadn't realized it was so obvious.

The ambulance arrived shortly and they rushed Adam to the hospital. Paramedics stayed behind to wrap Yang's hand, not finding it necessary to take her as well. The cut wasn't deep enough that it was an emergency, though they did bother to tape it shut. A woman with prominent antlers treated Blake's bruises with a medicinal ointment, taking extra care with the gashes on her cheekbones. A part of her hoped that Adam would be okay despite three gunshots to the chest. Another, darker, part of her hoped he would die, so she might finally feel safe.

The police officers asked them questions, focusing primarily on Yang for reasons Blake didn't ponder for any considerable length. They were all human, three men and one woman. Neither seemed especially comforting when they finally spoke to Blake, asking her why she didn't report him sooner and what she might have done to antagonize him. "Did he attack you with malicious intent?" One man asked with a notepad held in front of him. He was doodling. Blake could tell from the swoops of his pen.

"Yes." She answered, biting back the sarcastic tone in her voice. _Did you see my face? Didn't you shoot him? What did you think was happening_?

"And what caused his outburst?" Blake bit her lip, the sharp intake of breath hardly unnoticed by the officer. "I need to know all the details." He pressed, his eyes insistent as he met hers. They were blue. Like Adam's.

"He found out I was cheating on him." She answered honestly, the truth in the words breaking her apart. The man hummed and gestured vaguely in Yang's direction with his pen.

"And how was she involved?" He asked, oblivious to the true answer. _She's a friend_ , Blake considered. _A passerby_.

"She's...my girlfriend." A beat of silence stretched between them before the man looked up from his notepad, his eyes filled with suspicion, distrust, and disgust. Blake remained resolute, though her ears slid back from her unease.

"I see." He took a steady breath and shook his head, clicking his pen as he turned away. He approached his peers, murmuring to them about the new information. _A faunus and a human. Can you believe it? That's practically bestiality_. The others laughed, one shuddered in disgust. _What's the world coming to_? One said with a sharp laugh, sneaking his cruel smile behind a hand. Blake tried not to hear their snickers, tried to ignore the second glances they gave Yang, but it dug under her skin and made her feel sick.

They asked for their information, said they'd get back to them when Adam came to. The hospital had managed to save him, but he was still vulnerable. Blake cursed her luck, immediately regretting it as she remembered that she once loved him. Yang held her tightly as they watched the officers and paramedics leave, planting a kiss on her forehead in assurance.

"It'll be okay." She whispered softly and Blake believed her. "We'll be okay." She insisted and Blake believed her.

"Can...Can I stay with you tonight?" Blake asked her softly, uncertainly, looking up to meet her amethyst eyes so filled with affection. Yang smiled softly, so much warmer than how it usually seemed. "I just..." Blake looked away, feeling judged for wanting something so selfish. "...don't think I'll be able to sleep alone tonight."

"Of course you can, Blake." Yang took her hand in hers, her other lifting her chin to bring Blake's eyes to meet hers. "I won't let him hurt you ever again." Her thumb stroked Blake's cheek. "If I can do anything at all for you, I will."

"I believe you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On the 8th I was forced to euthanize my cat. It was for the best, but it hurts so much. I will not be working on this story for a while, as I will be mourning and in no mood to write.  
> Thank you all so much for your support. It means so much to me that you look forward to every new chapter and I hope you understand why I will be taking a break.
> 
> Thank you again, and best wishes <3


	13. Without Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cow Im alive????  
> Sorry it's been like three months now? I won't lie, the biggest reason this took me so long is that I got dumped back in January and it took me a while to get back to a place where I could write cute fluffy bees. But I am here now! And Im back with a bang!  
> We're changing this story up, folks. It's getting spicy. Bumped the T up to M cause I recognized all of the sensitive stuff I'm touching on. Plus I have the vocabulary of a fifty year old sailor and I cant taint the children.
> 
> (Chapter title is from song of same name)

The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence, the only sound in Blake's ears the ticking of the grandfather clock and Zwei's confused whines from across the room. Taiyang sat in his armchair across from the couch, hands supporting his chin and elbows on his knees, looking the role of disappointed father. Blake shifted on the couch and Yang immediately noticed her discomfort and took her hand. Taiyang's eyes darted to their joined hands and then back to Yang's face.

"You lied to me." He said bluntly, not even attempting to hide his frustration. Blake flinched, her hand tightening around Yang's. Yang, however, remained firm.

"I know. I'm sorry." Yang hung her head slightly, her blonde hair falling in front of her like a curtain. Blake had an urge to push it back, but she resisted it. "I should have told you, but I wanted to make sure it stayed secret. I couldn't risk him finding out." Yang explained herself and her father listened, eventually sighing in defeat.

"I understand why. I just wish I could have helped." His eyes were filled with sympathy, his soft concern manifesting itself in the worried pass of his hair. "And I wish you didn't feel the need to lie in the first place."

"I'm sorry I've caused you so much trouble." Blake spoke up, receiving surprised looks from both blondes in response. Yang let go of her hand to hold her arm, moving her thumb in a comforting gesture.

"Blake, you don't have to apologize for anything. I knew what I was signing up for, okay?" She could see the sincerity in Yang's eyes and wished she hadn't. Her heart felt like it was being pulled and she knew she didn't deserve this. Yang was too good for her. "I care about you. I want to help."

"I know. I appreciate it." Blake let herself say it aloud, even letting herself smile. It was soon gone, though, when her phone started ringing. "Sorry, I'll just..." She was fully prepared to deny the call when Yang stopped her, a concerned look in her eye. She could tell what Yang meant without her saying it. Blake weighed her options for a moment before reluctantly taking the call, standing to step outside.

The cold breeze whipped her hair and she fought the urge to go back inside. The caller immediately introduced themselves as hospital staff, overseeing Adam's condition. Blake was his emergency contact, they said. The police hadn't told them who they should inform of his condition. Blake felt her cheeks chill as a tear wet her skin. Fear settled deep in her chest and she couldn't tell what she was wishing for.

" _He'll survive_." They said. " _A month or so and he should be back on his feet_." A sob wracked her chest and she braced herself on the porch rail. She heard the door open behind her and a comforting hand on her back. Yang's warmth enveloped her and with the overwhelming swell of emotions she wasn't sure that she could discern relief from horror. He was dangerous and she couldn't trust the police to protect her-to protect Yang.

"Shh...it's okay." Yang's soothing voice reached her ear and she leaned against her, letting herself show more than she had in years. This girl had seen all sides of her and yet still she was here, still she gave soft assurances and showed no impatience with her. Yang was everything she didn't know she needed. "Everything is gonna work out, Blake. I promise." Yang had no way of knowing that, but somehow Blake believed her.

///////

Yang flexed her hand slowly, wincing as the healing skin stretched painfully. Such a wide gash on her palm was sure to leave a scar. At least she would have a hell of a story. She smirked and looked up at herself in the mirror. She could see the stress of recent months in the lines of her face, the way her eyes seemed duller. Her summer freckles had faded over the course of the winter. They would come back soon. She hoped Blake would like them.

A knock on the door took her attention away for just a moment. "Come in." She told them, already finishing up. She hastened her wrapping, tightening the end of the bandage just as the door opened. Blake stepped in, head low as she stepped past and threw a towel over the shower door. Yang had been fully prepared to leave, but now some unseen force kept her in place against the sink. Blake glanced her way, her eyes drifting down before darting away.

"Thank you again for letting me stay here for the night." She spoke up softly, her faunus ears tilted back in her uncertainty. "I'm...not sure I would have been able to sleep in my own room. After everything that happened, I just..." She sighed and shook her head. "Thank you."

"Of course." Yang scoffed and straightened to take a step towards her, but thought better of it. She stayed firmly at the sink. "You don't have to sleep on the couch, though. My bed has plenty of room." She hadn't fully considered the implications of the offer until it was already given. Blake's smirk spelled trouble and Yang had never been so ready to break the rules.

"That's awfully forward of you." She purred, the playful glint in her eye almost unfamiliar. Yang always loved her eyes, but that look had to be her favorite. She forced a laugh, made an effort to make it seem as though she had never considered it.

"I'm not that easy, Belladonna." Blake's lips grew tight together and her stance changed to put more weight on a single foot. "I'll have you know that I'm waiting for the one." Yang added with a smile that no doubt had a hint of pride, though mostly bashful. It was childish to wait, friends had told her. Still, it was probably the only thing she had promised herself.

"Are you going to leave and let me shower or are we going to keep going back and forth all night?" Blake's smile was soft and sincere, something in her eyes speaking regret. Her words didn't match the look behind those golden treasures.

"Don't hesitate on my account." The comment was meant as a playful jab, but when Blake raised a brow in that way she found it hard to leave. Those beautiful ears twitched, her beautiful lips stretching into a smile as she reached down to her shirt. "O-On second thought, I need to...do laundry." Yang stammered and quickly left the bathroom, pressing back against the closed door without allowing herself to linger on Blake's giggle. Her heart hammered in her chest and she hid her flushed face in her hands. What was her deal?

She heard the water start running and couldn't stop her imagination from running wild. She silently scolded herself and pulled her hands away, holding one in front of her to simply stare at the bandaging. It was crooked due to her haste. Something held her gaze. It was an unfamiliar tug in her chest and it took incredible effort to look away.

 

Dinner that night was filled with Ruby's persistent questions about the two of them being together. She had missed out on months of details, she complained. Yang amused her for the moment, but made sure to steer her away from any questions involving the boyfriend or whether or not the two had kissed since the wrestling tournament. She had to hide a smile when Taiyang finally managed to get the conversation somewhere else. Blake seemed immensely relieved by it. Their plates were clean before they knew it and Yang offered to clean the dishes, much to her father's gratitude. Blake ended up helping her, yet with the two of them bantering the work took longer than it should have. Still, Blake made a boring chore something worth remembering. Funny how that worked.

By the time they were done Taiyang had already gone to bed and Ruby was up in her room chatting with online friends. Yang patiently lead Zwei into his kennel before bringing Blake downstairs to their lounge. The basement had once been used for mechanical projects, Yang had told her. Their mother was a fan of tinkering. Now it served as her little retreat. A punching bag stood over an exercise mat, tethered to the ground. On the opposite side a futon sat in front of her tv and gaming console. The dull concrete walls had been livened by glowing stars scattered around and soft cutouts of bumblebees and butterflies.

"It's actually really charming." Blake complimented as she looked around. Yang felt a humble swell of pride since she had spent her soul in this room. Every bad day was finished in a session with the punching bag, every couple of hours she had free was spent on that console. "I like it." Blake turned to her and suddenly Yang suspected she would soon add another memory to the room. An unfamiliar urge pulled her forward, brought her hands to Blake's.

"You can...sleep down here. W-We have an electric blanket if it's too cold." They weren't even close to the words she wanted to say, but they were most important here and now. "And, um..." Suddenly her hands felt sparks and she pulled away, running one through her hair. "I can stay down here too. If you want..." Black ears perked in surprise before tilting with her smile.

"I suppose I could use the company." Yang wouldn't have readily admitted to the way her stomach fluttered when given that look, though it wasn't as if she was ever truly calm when in Blake's presence. She only had to be nearby to set her soul ablaze. She made her feel...right, somehow. Like everything was wrong before and she just never noticed.

Blake amused her with a few rounds of her fighting game in return for a relaxing show to watch. Yang didn't blame her for simply wanting a break from everything. They settled on a show about strange animals with bizarre and unique behaviors and appearances that left biologists baffled. It was silly, simple, but when it was the two of them it felt perfect. Yang learned a lot with just the first episode, and quickly found herself engrossed. Still, no matter how interested she found herself in the show, Blake at her side was always at the forefront of her attention.

She had cuddled up at some point; from the chill, Yang told herself. Her fingers tangled playfully with Yang's and she calmly rested her head on her shoulder like it was the most natural thing to do in this situation. It probably was, Yang realized. She just hadn't gotten this far before. She had gone on dates before, of course. Once puberty hit she was approached by countless guys. The problem was that nobody had caught her attention, nobody had been important enough, _special_  enough. One or two dates, minimal interest. Until Blake. They had gotten to three official dates now, countless kisses, five moments that Yang liked to remember; the short moments where time seems to freeze, where she can hear her heart in her ears and knows Blake can too.

"Oh, now _that's_  romantic." Blake giggled at the show, suddenly pulling Yang's attention back. A bird with extremely colorful feathers danced enthusiastically while a female stood nearby, only somewhat interested. Yang laughed, grateful for the humorous distraction from overthinking things that should have been simple.

"I don't know, I think he's pretty _fly_." Her smile widened as Blake's giggles suddenly cut off with a small snort. Golden eyes slowly looked her way and the amusement behind them was something that Blake could not hide behind a poor facade of disbelief.

"You did _not_  just say that." The small hint of a smile peeked through and now it was suddenly a challenge. The way her brow raised made Yang wonder if she could even get enough air to continue.

"I'm serious." She turned to face her completely, the challenge gladly accepted. "He must have no trouble getting chicks." Blake scoffed and hid her giggle behind a hand, softly shaking her head. "I mean, his moves are so smooth it's like he's gliding. And just look at those love birds. Don't you believe in love at first flight?"

"Stop!" Blake managed to plead through her giggles, shameless and bold. "Those were terrible!" Yang didn't even care. She knew they were bad, but they were enough to get Blake laughing and that was the only reason she even tried. Unfortunately Blake's giggles died away and a part of her noticed that the show had moved on by now. Even so, she didn't pay any mind to it. Blake didn't seem to either.

"I love your laugh." The words left her without her full consent, but Blake didn't seem to mind in the slightest. She ducked her head, pushed a lock of hair back, and smiled. Yang felt her heart jump.

"What else?" Her eyes glanced up and there was a sudden rock in Yang's throat as she struggled for words. Blake seemed nervous to ask, embarrassed to feel the need for reassurance, but also genuinely curious. "What else do you like about me?"

"Where do I start?" She asked with a breathless laugh. Her skin was burning and she had no doubt that she was beet red. "You're passionate, smart, hard working." Blake didn't wait patiently while she answered, instead sprinkling gentle kisses against Yang's jaw. Her heart hammered, and she could feel Blake smirk against her skin. "Y-You're beautiful. The way you make me feel, Blake, I...I can't even describe it. I'm not good with words like you. I could never do it justice." She paused and shifted onto her knees, leaning over Yang with her hands cupping her cheeks.

"It's like you found a missing piece, something that fits so well into a space you didn't even know was there." She whispered, her breath warm on Yang's lips. "No matter what happens, no matter how much time goes by, nothing will ever be the same."

"Y-Yeah..." Her chest stuttered as she tried to take a smooth breath. "I think about you all the time. No matter what it is, somehow it comes back to you." Soft lips against hers were relief and torture simultaneously. Her hands found themselves on subtle curves, trailing north into dangerous territory. Blake's tongue pressed gently for request of entry, eager but not insistent. Yang happily relented, relaxing her jaw and letting Blake lead the way. Her head was spinning and she needed time to adjust to this, but Blake seemed perfectly comfortable with what she was doing. She told herself that it didn't bother her, no matter how well she knew it was a lie.

A soft nip against her bottom lip and Yang's hands instinctively tightened, a pleased hum lifting from Blake's throat. With everything going on lately, she had no idea what was going on in this girl's head. If she wanted this, Yang wouldn't stop her, but they definitely needed to slow down at least. If not then she was guaranteed to lose her mind. Unfortunately, she couldn't get out a comprehensive word when Blake did release her lips, because the faunus moved straight to her jaw, her neck, the base of her ear. Yang gasped, entirely to her surprise and Blake's vigilant interest. Teeth joined the equation and Yang found herself melting against the couch, releasing a soft moan that she hadn't heard from herself before.

"I'll keep that in mind." Blake muttered against her, golden eyes flashing mischievously as they lifted to meet darkened amethyst. There was an understanding exchanged in a single moment, a pleading and recognition following soon after. Blake drifted away, her hands resting on Yang's shoulders as she still straddled her. "Are you okay?"

"What? Y-Yeah." Yang was surprised by the question, by the very idea that Blake had _noticed_. "I mean...um..." She rubbed her head, turned away, shame gripping her. "I...did like that...a-a lot...." She turned red, immediately reminded of the involuntary noise she had made.

"But?" Blake prompted, concern in her eyes rather than any semblance of frustration. It suddenly felt as though there was a heavy stone in her gut, weighing her down and keeping her silent despite the importance of her words.

"Well, s-so much is going on." She started, barely scratching the tip of the iceberg. She averted her eyes, if only to avoid witnessing the look of regret on Blake's face. "And I...I've never gotten much farther than this, so I...I just..." She groaned and shook her head, frustrated with herself for being unable to articulate what she wanted to say-what she _needed_  to say. "I...I need to wait." She finished firmly, resolute in the decision. She hazarded a glance and found Blake smiling softly.

"Don't worry, Yang. I never intended to go that far. I just...really wanted to kiss you and I got a bit carried away." She admitted quietly, a bashful smile on her lips when she managed to meet Yang's gaze once more. "I don't think I'm ready to trust someone with that again, even if it's you. Not yet, at least." Suddenly her anxiety came crushing down as regret, shame. She had made assumptions about her intentions, and in her childish panic had completely forgotten Blake's own experience.

"I know. I'm sorry. I got caught up in my own head." Blake gently swiped away her bangs and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. She couldn't help the smile that stretched her lips. It was such a genuine sign of affection. She felt blessed.

"I don't blame you. Part of me is trying not to think about what happened, act like it never did." Blake admitted softly. "Everything is so messed up right now. You're the only thing that makes sense."

"You're the only thing that _doesn't_  make sense." Yang admitted with a weak laugh. Her smile soon faded as the reality of her words sunk in. Whatever this was, however complicated it got, it was unique.

"And I...I love it."

_It was worth it._

"I love you."


	14. Crazy For Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for slacking on the updates, friends. A lot has been going on with me personally and my friends. Bluntly, I've had more important things to worry about.  
> And apologies for the much shorter chapter, I'll make it up with lots of drama next time!  
> Thank you for being patient ^
> 
> Chapter title from Tower of Song

Blake slowly woke from sleep, though her eyes remained shut. She didn't really want to wake up. She didn't even remember falling asleep. She was vaguely aware of the soft cushion under her, instinctively nuzzling into it. Fingers ran through her hair, gently caressing her ear, and she relaxed into the touch. She remembered now. She was with Yang.

"God you're gorgeous." Her sweet voice confessed with a breathless laugh. Blake couldn't hide her smile. "Oh my gosh, you're awake? Unfair!" Yang laughed as she pushed Blake's head from her lap. Blake joined her, giggling softly as she turned to face her.

"I didn't mean to overhear." Blake hummed with a smile. Yang didn't respond with a witty response like her smile seemed to imply she had intended. She was quiet, pensive, as she gently stroked Blake's ears. It was odd to have someone touch them so gently. It made her stomach flutter.

"I love you." Yang whispered, emboldened by Blake's acceptance of this. If she was allowed to say it, she wanted to say it as many times as possible. Blake could understand that feeling. She was feeling giddy from hearing it.

She lifted herself up to kiss Yang softly, savoring the gentleness that was so unfamiliar and yet felt so damn _right_. Now that she had gotten a taste of love (or at least she felt very strongly that this _must_  be love), she couldn't imagine getting by without it. She couldn't believe herself for settling for anything less. It was Yang giving her lungs the air they breathe. It would always be Yang. It would never be the same without her. "I love you too." She whispered against those kiss-bitten lips, her smile reaching all over her in a pleasant warmness. She had said that before, but now she really felt she _meant_  it.

"I love you so much." Yang persisted, her kisses desperate and insistent, as if trying to convince herself that she wasn't dreaming. Blake giggled as the kisses trailed down her neck, her hand gripping golden blonde hair. Her fingers were gentle and firm in equal measure and she could feel Yang grinning into her skin.

"I love you too, dragon." Yang's eyes looked up to meet hers, surprise beneath the burning amethyst. They were more magenta at this point, with the red seeping in. Had Blake done something wrong? Why would she be irritated enough to show red in her eyes? "With your name and personality I thought it fit." Blake explained softly. "I-Is that okay?"

"Of course." Yang hummed, the sound deep in her throat. Her eyes trailed down, distracted. "I like it." The creaking stairs nearby stole Yang's attention in an instant and just like that they had separated, far too much distance between them. Taiyang was frowning as he came down the stairs, hesitant in his approach. Yang kissed Blake's cheek before stepping away, heading off to speak privately with her father at his request.

Blake sighed softly and fell back against the couch. For just a moment she had forgotten everything that was going on, but now that Yang had left her she couldn't remove it from her mind. She only wanted to be with her, to be happy. Was that too much for her to ask? Was that selfish of her? Surely it was, to want so much when she had so little to offer in return.  
No, she shouldn't be thinking like that. " _It's okay to be a little selfish sometimes_." Yang had told her that once. So long as Yang accepted her for all of her scars and flaws, Blake would continue loving her selfishly. As long as Yang loved her, she didn't care what anyone else thought of her.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"You need to explain to me exactly what's going on." Yang chewed her lip anxiously, her father's eyes burning into her. He didn't look so serious very often, so when he did Yang knew that it was best to listen. " _Yang_." He pressed her. "What happened to your hand?"

"I already told you. Blake dropped a knife and I caught it without thinking." Yang lied, sticking to her original story. When she and Blake had explained the situation to him, they had been very careful in keeping certain details out. She wasn't surprised that her dad had seen past them. She was never a very good liar.

"I got a call from the police, checking in on you." She tensed, her hands clenching around her knees. He noticed, of course. His frown deepened. "What happened? Did it involve Adam? Did he hurt you?"

"God, don't say his name." Yang felt a shudder run through her, of fear or disgust she couldn't be certain. Taiyang's lips tightened and he glanced away before releasing a defeated sigh. Yang watched him guiltily as he dragged a hand over his face. "I'm sorry for lying. I just...I didn't want to tell you all of Blake's personal shit. All the abuse, and...I felt like it was unfair to her."

"I understand, but I don't think you realize how serious this situation is." He told her softly, a concerned hand resting on her knee. "Yang, we're talking about abuse. We can't just brush this off and hope the problem goes away eventually."

"I know that!" Yang snapped, her jaw tense as she fought back tears. "But I don't know what to do! I want to help her, but...how? How do I help?" Taiyang was silent, having no answer to her question. Seeing the panic in his eyes as he searched for one made her break. "I don't want her to hurt anymore." Her voice cracked and she covered her face with her hands to hide herself.

"Yang..." She looked up and Taiyang gently brushed back her hair. "Sometimes things are so complicated that you can't fix them so easily. We'll tell the police about it and hope that they take action. Other than that, there's no way to help."

"They should have killed him." Yang spat bitterly. Her father's look of surprise filled her with shame. Despite this, she did not take it back. Taiyang softly shook his head and stood from his seat, walking away without another word. Yang watched him go, catching sight of Ruby peeking around the corner with a guilty expression. She turned away.

 

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The beeping was starting to get to him. He had only been awake for a few hours now, but the steady echo of his heartbeat had grown tiring incredibly fast. He moved to sit upright, grunting in pain as hot waves shot through his chest. He clutched at his ribs. Blake. He looked around the empty room, sterile white walls devoid of anything resembling meaning. He had to find her. He needed out of here.

He gently pulled the IV from his arm, disconnected all the monitors from him, and forced himself to his feet. He stumbled as the pain hit, gripping the handle of his bed as he struggled to stand straight. Footsteps came rushing down the hall, the smacks on linoleum echoing down the hall. Blake. Where was she? What had happened? He needed to find her.

"Sir! Please, remain in your bed. You're not well enough to be walking around!" The nurse guided him into the bed and he relented. He didn't have the energy to fight. People crowded around him, casting shadows with horns and ears. Good. That was good. He'd had enough of humans.

"What...what happened to Blake? Where is she? I need to make things right." His head was throbbing and his chest was still on fire. He didn't care, though. He needed to find Blake. They'd run away somewhere and he'd make sure that no one ever touched her again.

"Just relax. You'll be given visitation before too long. The police just need to question you first." The doctor assured him gently. The words were stale, insincere. "Most importantly, you need rest. Everything will be sorted, I assure you."

"Fine. Just leave me alone." He growled, wincing as a surge of pain hit him. The group backed away, relieved that the perceived emergency had been a false alarm. 

"A nurse will return soon to fix this. But for now, rest easy, Mr Taurus." The doctor bowed his head as he followed the others out the door. Adam scoffed. He wouldn't be resting easy tonight. He wouldn't rest easy until he knew that Yang Xiao-Long was dead, and _he_ was the one who did it.


	15. She Laughed No More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im gonna be honest here, I finished this chapter about a week ago but never actually published it. Sorry about that. Anyway, second to last chapter, how a bout that! I can't believe it's almost over! It's been such a journey with this story.
> 
> Chapter title is from Delilah (arguably Tom's 2nd most famous song)

Blake hummed as she tapped her pencil lightly against her lips. This sudoku puzzle was giving her a harder time than usual. It didn't help that every time she looked up to consider her options she was greeted by the sight of Yang exercising. She hadn't failed to notice the blonde's strength, but she had never had the opportunity to truly witness it. Other than the wrestling tournament Blake was unsure she had ever seen Yang in action.

Perhaps it was becoming more and more difficult to solve the puzzle because of the soft grunts from her, the sweat on her brow that made her skin shine. Blake bit her lip. Now wasn't the time for all of that. It was, of course, hard not to appreciate the sight.

"Are you sure your hand is alright?" Blake asked her, deciding it best to ignore the tension in her gut. Yang glanced up and grew a crooked smile, assuring and amused simultaneously. It wasn't fair that she could do that so easily.

"Exercising is my meditation. Like you and your puzzles." Yang replied without answering her question. She didn't need to. Blake could easily conclude that the cut _was_  bothering her; Yang just didn't care. "How many crosswords have you finished by now? You've been at it for an hour or so."

"Sudoku, actually. And I've only finished two." Blake answered with a small smile. Her ears perked at the low thunk ahead of her. Yang had set down her weight and was now drying herself off. "How much can you lift?" Blake asked, suddenly very curious. Yang pursed her lips in thought before sighing.

"Uh, 150? I think? I haven't pushed myself very recently." She lifted herself from the bench and walked over to Blake, a smirk on her lips. "I could easily lift you, though. What do you weigh? 130?"

"Don't you know it's rude to ask a girl her weight?" She raised a brow playfully and Yang laughed. Blake set her puzzle book and pencil aside and reached out to take Yang's hands. She lifted the bandages to her lips and gently kissed them, meeting amethyst as she did so. Yang ducked her head, flushing ever so slightly. "Regardless, I'm sure you could."

"Let's see." Yang said with a grin before she ducked to wrap her left arm around Blake's back. Her right slipped under Blake's legs and before she could protest she was already in the air. She instinctively squealed and gripped tightly to Yang's shoulders.

"Yang! Put me down!" The blonde laughed and reluctantly complied, gently setting Blake back down to the ground. "Well, you've proved yourself. Not that I didn't believe you." Blake muttered, annoyed albeit relieved that there was solid ground beneath her. Yang chuckled and her soft smile made Blake forget why she had been annoyed in the first place.

"I wasn't trying to prove anything." Her smile grew into a smirk and she dipped her head beside Blake's to whisper in her ear. "Maybe I was just looking for an excuse to touch you." The words made Blake's heart jump and she recoiled from the surprise, a hand quickly coming to her face to hide her ensuing redness. Yang laughed at her reaction and Blake insincerely smacked her shoulder.

////////////

"The T method? Dammit, that was so long ago..." Yang groaned as she rubbed her head cluelessly. Blake glanced over her shoulder to see her problem, a smile tugging at her lips as she scooted slightly closer. She gestured with her fingers to walk her through it, eventually managing to raise Yang's confidence enough that she could do it on her own. Nora wallowed pathetically as she struggled with chemistry and Jaune was lost in regards to history. Ruby flew through her algebra review and biology study guide like she had a college degree in the subjects. "Ruby's always been a genius in disguise." Yang said with shameless pride.

The group continued working on their own subjects, simply enjoying each other's company and occasionally asking a friend for help when they felt someone could provide. Blake was the math tutor, Yang the science, and Pyrrha the history. Ruby rarely needed help and rarely could provide it considering she was a grade below Jaune and two below everyone else.

Blake was admittedly enjoying the company of a friend group like this. She was grateful to Yang for inviting her. Honestly she was grateful to Yang for a lot of things. She was also shamelessly enjoying sitting so close to her without fear that anyone might catch them. The two linked arms and rewarded each other with soft pecks, most of which were quickly accompanied by coos from their friends. She was so wrapped up in the moment that she almost didn't notice her phone buzz in her pocket. She almost didn't check it. She wouldn't have, if her mother hadn't told her to.

_Where are you?_

Blake felt her blood run cold. He was in the hospital not prison, she reminded herself. She wasn't free from him. If he could find any way to get his claws into her he would, she knew that. She was tempted to respond with the fact that it was none of his business where she was, but she knew that would only anger him. Still, she couldn't bring herself to endanger herself and her friends just to make him happy. Those days were over. She ignored it and brought her focus back to Yang, her smile a touch more painful than it was before. Yang gave her a worried look, but didn't say anything in front of their friends.

"That's ridiculous, Nora! Why would you do that?" Pyrrha shook her head in disapproval, though her lips were curled into an amused smile.

"Hey! It was a challenge. Ren knows me better than to say something like that." The ginger declared as she crossed her arms indignantly. Jaune, Ruby's best friend, chuckled, much more shameless in his amusement than Pyrrha.

"I totally get that, but it was two feet high!" Yang exclaimed with a flabbergasted laugh. "I mean, how can you eat that many pancakes and not barf?" She gestured grandly with her hands and Blake felt the corner of her lips pull into a smile. She was here, with Yang, Ruby, and their closest friends. Not with him. She'd be fine.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket again and she suddenly struggled to breathe. It was one of her parents, she tried to convince herself. It was Ilia. Check it later. But she couldn't. She had to know for sure.

_Don't leave me on read._

A gasping whimper escaped her before she could stop it and Yang immediately turned to her with wide eyes, as if suddenly able to read her mind. The others seemed lost, confused about what had been so startling. Yang knew, though. She reached over to take Blake's hand, rubbing a circle into her palm. It was a comforting gesture, one that managed to keep Blake from spiraling. " _Are you okay?_ " Her eyes asked silently.

"S-Sorry. I'm sorry." Blake apologized to her friends and stood from her seat, quickly heading to the bathroom in the back. She heard Yang tell them that they'd return soon before quickly rushing after her, catching her shoulder and wrapping an arm around her. Blake almost crumbled then and there, but she was too aware of everyone else in the cafe. She couldn't let them see, couldn't let them hear.

They stepped into the bathroom together, no doubt looking odd to anybody happening to glance over. It was a small bathroom meant for only one person at a time, after all. As soon as she was in the sanctity of a closed off room Blake sank to the floor and broke apart. She slammed her fist into the ground and let out a frustrated cry, embracing the pain that shot through her knuckles.

"Hey..." Yang kneeled in front of her and gently held her shoulder, rubbing circles into her shirt. Why did that always feel so assuring, Blake wondered? "What happened? Is it Adam?"

"Of course it's him! It's always him!" She snapped, hot tears spilling onto her cheek. She furiously wiped them away with the heel of her palm and took a shaky breath. Her phone had continued buzzing incessantly in her hand, and she had tried to ignore it. She unlocked her screen and showed Yang, unwilling to read the messages herself. Yang's softness faded and red seeped into her amethyst eyes. She snatched the phone away and with a flurry of fingers texted him back. Blake could have sworn that her heart had stopped.

_I just got released_

_I want to see you_

_I just want to talk_

_Blake, answer me_

_You can't ignore me forever_

_Are you too distracted by your blonde bimbo to even read my messages?_

_I will find you, and we WILL talk about this_

_Don't you dare, you crazy motherfucker -Y_

Blake's relief that Yang had thought to make it clear to him that those were indeed Yang's words was short lived, as the next message terrified her. _I know where you are now. Thanks Xiao Long_. Yang had posted pictures of them not long ago, and even if Blake hadn't been in those pictures (which she very much was, as reluctant as she had been) now Adam knew that wherever Yang was Blake was too. This was a disaster.

"Shit." Yang stood and burst into the cafe, rushing to her seat to grab her things. Blake followed, clutching her phone tightly as if squeezing it hard enough would make the texts nothing more than a bad dream. Yang glanced to her and tossed her the brown leather jacket hung over the back of Blake's chair. Yang's jacket. She hadn't worn it much recently, but it was particularly chilly today.

"Are you guys leaving?" Nora asked curiously, her disappointment evident in her expression. Ruby's lips tightened and she held her arm against herself, knowing all too well what was making Yang so frantic.

"Yeah. Sorry. Uh, personal emergency." Yang answered her quickly as she slipped on her jacket. She grabbed Blake's arm and without another word of explanation they were headed for the door. Sun wished them well and invited them to come back anytime soon, and unlike usual Yang remained stoic and silent. Her gaze was hard, rough and unfamiliar to Blake.

"Yang?" The bell above the door jingled as they stepped outside and the sudden call of her name made Yang release her arm. Blake hadn't realized how tight her hold had been until she let go. The blonde paused and opened her mouth to speak, but shut it again when no words came to mind. Speechless. She was so rarely speechless. "Let's drive to the police station, okay? We'll be at least somewhat safe there."

"Yeah." Yang agreed breathlessly. "Yeah. We will." The tension between them returned regardless of their agreement and Yang sighed. "I'm sorry. For grabbing you, for rushing out like that. I just...I don't want our friends to get mixed up in this." Her brows grew tight together and her frown deepened considerably. "And I'll be damned if he goes anywhere near Ruby."

"I understand." Blake kissed her cheek, a soft moment that she refused to pass up simply because of Adam's intentions. Yang was her priority. Which meant they needed to leave. "Come on. Let's go." They started walking to Yang's bike, and were just a few feet away when the sound of squealing tires made Blake's ears snap backwards. They both turned to see what had happened, and witnessed a black truck driving straight over the curb into the outlet mall. Yang jumped and quickly mounted her bike, pulling Blake on behind her. Her hold on Yang was instinctive, desperate for support as the truck came to a screeching halt.

"Don't even think about it, Yang!" The truck door slammed and Adam marched towards them, his boots thudding against the asphalt like the beat of a war drum. Blake could feel Yang tense under her, the fear deep in her stomach like the two of them were one and the same. "It's nice to finally have the chance to talk like civilized people."

" _Yang_." Blake pushed her to do something, and it had clearly worked as Yang revved the engine and took off. He made an attempt to grab her as they blew past him, but he only managed to snag Blake's leather jacket. Which, thankfully, slipped from his grasp before it slipped from Blake's arms. They pulled out into the road and rode off as fast as Yang could reasonably take them. They ran through a red light and weaved through traffic lanes, all the while the menacing black truck a constant presence behind them.

They hit a stretch of empty road and Blake pressed closer against Yang's back. He was going to catch them. This is where it ended. The truck's engine was loud in her ears, the hum overwhelming even the strong wind that their speed had caused. It was closer. Closer. Yang swerved, or maybe they had been nudged. Blake couldn't see, didn't _want_  to see. The horn blasted, an angry noise that shook her to her core. The bike tilted again, the balance wavering.

"This crazy fucker is gonna kill us!" Yang cried out without considering her words, too panicked to care if she scared Blake even more. She pushed the bike faster, desperate to put distance between them. She turned a corner when the country road finally came upon an intersection. The stiff truck didn't turn nearly as quick as the motorcycle, but it wasn't long before he was on their ass again.

Blake could tell this time. He nudged them.

The bike lost balance and slid. Blake landed on her left arm but didn't have the opportunity to register the pain before the truck's front bumper slammed against her foot. She couldn't see Yang, didn't know what happened to her, she just heard the most horrible gut-wrenching crunch before silence. The truck passed right over Blake and skidded to a stop yards ahead of them. She forced herself to turn, to find Yang. She really shouldn't have. She regretted it immediately. The crunch she had heard had been Yang's _arm_ , crushed beneath the tires. She was unconscious and blood was spreading into a puddle beneath her elbow. Blake couldn't look for more than the second she did.

Blake fumbled for her phone, ignoring Adam's approach in favor of calling for help as soon as possible. She thanked whatever cosmic being there might be that her phone was mostly undamaged and promptly dialed the emergency number. The operator greeted her with a voice far too casual and light hearted for the situations she was no doubt responsible for reporting. She didn't have time to waste.

"We're far down Malory Street! B-By the fields!" Blake didn't know her exact location and begged that this was enough. There was a small number of fields in their town. "My girlfriend just got ran over! She's still breathing but she's unconscious and her arm is completely crushed!" Adam was ten feet away. "And send police! My ex is trying to kill us!" The phone was ripped from her hands and slammed against the ground. Adam's eyes were cold as ice.

"I wouldn't be doing this if you had just behaved!" He shouted. He lifted his foot and connected it firmly against her chest, sending her backwards and into a coughing fit. He grabbed her hair and slammed her face into the pavement. "But you're selfish!" He tossed her aside and slammed his foot into her gut. She heaved and tried pointlessly to crawl away. "I loved you! I gave you everything! You convinced me that for once someone actually cared! But no! You're just like everyone else!"

"I'm not your parents, Adam!" She snapped, a sudden fire in her that made her pain momentarily irrelevant. "You are."

"SHUT UP!" He screamed and slammed his heel into her back, pressing her into the ground. She couldn't even scream. "I'm so much better than them! I thought you of all people could see that, Blake!" He stepped back away from her and allowed her to lift herself, as much as she could with the crippling pain. "It's people like them that give faunus a bad name. It's people like _them_  that make humans think we're animals! I am **nothing**  like them."

"No. You're not like them." Blake agreed weakly, her breath gone from her chest. "They wouldn't murder people."

"It's not murder. It's vehicular manslaughter." Adam corrected her coldly. "Besides, she's still breathing isn't she?"

"Fuck you." Her voice shook and she sank lower onto her elbow. "I can't believe I ever loved you." His eyes widened, something akin to recognition flashing within them before he growled and chased it away with spite. He moved his hand to his waist and pulled out a gun.

"We were made for each other, Blake. How could you forget that so easily!?" He aimed the gun at her head. "If I can't have you, then nobody can." She wasn't ready to die. She had promised Yang that they would get through this together. They had talked about a cat and two pairs of tiny feet running around someday. She wanted that. She wanted it more than anything. She didn't want to die.

 

"Drop the gun!" A man's voice shouted, bringing Blake's attention back to the moment. Two police cars were parked nearby, their lights casting a red and blue glow across the field. Adam froze, the look in his eyes one of disobedience and stubbornness. He was going to kill her anyway. Even if it killed him too. "I said drop the gun!" Blake could barely hear the echo of an ambulance siren.

"Look what you've done." Adam scolded her with words far too familiar to her ears. Adam turned and pointed the gun at the officers. They didn't hesitate. Five gunshots rang out and Blake gasped as something warm and wet sprayed against her face. Blood. Adam fell to his knees and collapsed forward. Blood seeped from him, painting the pavement the same hellish red of his hair. It reached Blake's hands and knees and a sob broke from her throat.

The officers reported the incident into their radios as they moved forward, guns still drawn as they practiced caution. One of them helped her up, offered her a handkerchief to wipe her face. The ambulance arrived shortly after and quickly loaded Yang into the back, still unconscious. Paramedics checked on Adam, confirming him dead on the scene. Blake felt sick to her stomach. Her nightmare was finally over, but she had loved that man once. She saw him laugh and smile, had seen him be soft and seen him cry. Maybe she was sickened by herself for feeling relief at the news.

Things would be different now, she reminded herself. She had found new love, someone who actually valued her. Yang was kind and thoughtful and wasn't against grand romantic gestures like Adam had been. Still, Blake worried that because of this she might not even get the chance to see one of those gestures again. She was gently escorted into the ambulance to ride to the hospital with Yang, as she too was badly injured. She didn't care about her own injuries. She didn't care about her broken nose or the cut above her brow that had just started to sting. She just wanted Yang to be okay.


	16. Standing On The Other Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yoooooo I can't believe it's finally over guys! This story has come with me over the course of my senior year and it only seemed fitting that I publish it the day I graduate! That's today!  
> It's been a real journey and I'm so glad to know my story was enjoyed by so many people, even if you just seem like a small handful. This has been my child that I've nursed over the year, through good times and bad. It's been a long ride, and we're finally here.
> 
> Chapter title is from Tower of Song

Blake stared at herself in the mirror, too tired to care how tired she looked. She gingerly touched the bandage over her nose, wincing as the expected pain made her face numb. Her hand dropped to the sink's edge. Her cuts and bruises would heal, but her memories would never leave her. No matter how many times she told herself that she was safe now, she still woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat with his words ringing in her head.

She hadn't seen Yang since the day that they had gotten to the hospital. They didn't let her close when they finally got inside, more concerned with rushing her to surgery. After that she couldn't bring herself to leave her room, in case she had to look reality in the face. Yang had almost died because of her. She'd been mutilated because of _Blake's shit_  coming into her life. Her grip on the sink tightened and her ears angled back sharply. She saw herself in the mirror, golden eyes filled with tears. She tried to catch her breath again, but it came in huffs.

A knock on her door pulled her attention away from herself, allowing her a moment to breathe. She quickly made herself presentable and stepped out of the bathroom, seeing Ruby timidly stepping inside. She stopped when she saw Blake, smiled awkwardly, and clasped her hands together anxiously.

"Ruby." Blake's voice was softer than she was expecting it to be. Maybe a part of her didn't really want to be alone right now. God knows she wished she could be with Yang. "What are you doing here?" Assumptions of the worst immediately started to crowd her mind. Yang had taken a turn for the worse. No, she had finally realized how much trouble Blake was. She didn't even have the heart to tell Blake herself.

"I wanted to check on you." Ruby answered her, no hint of deceptiveness in her eyes. Blake would know, too. Ruby was a terrible liar. "I also, um..." Ruby twiddled her fingers anxiously, averting her gaze and immediately throwing Blake on her guard again. "I wanted to ask you..." Ruby's shoulders sank and she finally looked at Blake, though it was with the most pitiful expression she had seen on the girl. "Why haven't you come to visit Yang yet?"

"Oh." She was expecting the question eventually, just not now. And now that it had been asked so suddenly she didn't feel she had a satisfactory answer.

 _Because this is my fault? Because every life I touch spirals into chaos? Because I'm afraid_...

"I don't know, Ruby. It's just...hard. I can't...I can't stand to look at her right now." She admitted painfully, managing to choke back the sob in her throat.

"You get used to it after a bit." Ruby offered. The advice was stiff and awkward, and certainly not meant for what Blake had been implying. Ruby noticed her confusion and quickly offered explanation. "I mean, yeah, it's weird at first. But it's just an arm. It's not like she hasn't got a face." She shrugged and with that casual gesture Blake heard herself chuckle.

"That wasn't what I meant, Ruby, but...yes, that too." The younger girl simply brushed off the misunderstanding and offered Blake a small smile, far too reassuring and comforting to be coming from the sister of the girl she had nearly gotten killed. "Is...is she awake?" Blake asked hesitantly, unsure if she was ready for either answer or what it meant.

"Yep. Has been for a few days now." Blake gave a sigh filled with bitter resentment for herself, for the simple fact that after everything she wasn't the first one there when Yang woke up. "She's been waiting for you to visit. So?" Ruby prompted her, the slightest smirk crossing her lips when Blake turned to her, no doubt looking suddenly very frazzled.

"I...I don't know..." Blake looked away, scoffing at herself for the flutter in her chest. Just the idea of seeing Yang, of being near her, was enough to suddenly make her forget. Yang was safer without her. It would be so much easier for the both of them if the two never spoke again. But...that was hard. She couldn't imagine staying away voluntarily. No longer than a few days, anyway. That would never last.

"Dad and I were about to head out for dinner. So you two can talk about stuff if you want." Ruby offered cautiously, knowing fully well that she was treading on a dangerous edge. "Or kiss and make up." She added with a snicker. Blake felt her face flush before Ruby's small chuckle turned into a genuine laugh. She was too flustered to respond as Ruby walked out the door again with a friendly wave. "She's just down the hall by the way!" Ruby called out before her departure was final.

Blake took a breath to calm her thundering heart. It wasn't like she didn't _want_  to visit Yang. It was just hard not to blame herself for everything, hard to convince herself that Yang didn't blame her too. She knew it was dumb. This was _Adam's_  fault, not hers. Still...none of it would have happened if she had just- no. No, she couldn't think like that anymore. He didn't have control over her anymore. What good would dwelling in the past do? And she had risked all of this when she kissed Yang that night after the tournament! Was she going to throw it away when she had sacrificed so much? No, that was stupid. Adam was gone and it was time for her to start a new life. And the first step to that was going to see Yang after it all.

She didn't bother to get dressed or fix her hair or any small details like that. With frizzy hair, pajama pants, and bags under her eyes Yang would still call her beautiful. Knowing that was...nice. She didn't have to go so far to make sure her partner actually liked her and it was new. That part probably scared her the most. Just how new all of it was when it seemed so obvious to everyone else. There was still a part of her that told her to turn back and hide in her bathroom, even as she stepped into Yang's open room, but she told that side of her to buzz off. She wasn't turning back now. She was not going back to sophomore year, too cowardly to speak up to someone who was supposed to value her.

It was surreal, in a way, to see that blonde beauty texting away with the smallest hint of a smile after what had happened to her. It was clear that she was different, understandably so, but she wasn't what Blake had expected. She never was, honestly. "Yang?" Her reaction was immediate. She dropped her phone and looked up, too shocked to greet her. Blake allowed herself to step inside, which shamefully felt very bold of her.

"Blake..." Her voice was a whisper, a far cry from her usual jovial tone that Blake had grown used to. It was understandable, of course, and Blake wasn't sure a smile would have made her feel any better. "Oh my god..." Yang's eyes swelled with tears and she quickly moved to sit up, gesturing Blake closer since she was restrained by monitors. Blake stepped forward slowly, her eyes drifting down to Yang's arm. It was...gone. Just gone. It wasn't like she had never seen an amputee in her life, but when it was someone you _knew_...someone you had seen before...

"I'm so sorry." She sobbed into Yang's shoulder as she pulled her tightly into a hug. Yang's left arm wrapped around her back and held her tightly, firmly, determined to never let go. Her warmth was so familiar, so comforting, and Blake hadn't even realized how much she missed it. Yang shushed her gently and pet her hair, the comforting gesture something Blake hadn't known she needed.

"It's okay." Yang whispered to her assuringly. " _I'm_  okay." Blake took a shuddering breath and sank to her knees, bringing her hands to rest on Yang's thighs. She looked up at the sunny blonde, her amethyst eyes so filled with love and affection that she thought she might start crying again. Instead she let out a laugh of disbelief. Yang quirked an eyebrow, amused by the unexpected noise.

"I can't believe how amazing you are, let alone how you could care about someone like me. I'd consider myself lucky if you passed me on the street."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. I have my flaws, and you have your endearing features too. I mean, you're gorgeous, for one." She laughed and the noise was smooth and yet all too easily given. Blake was enraptured by her. "You're smart, funny."

"You think I'm funny?" Blake asked, a scoff of disbelief leaving her before she could help it. Yang rolled her eyes and lifted her hand to Blake's ears, gently rubbing one. It was soothing and Blake quickly forgot the quip on her tongue.

"And you're brave." Blake's ears perked and she met Yang's eyes, finding them void of any amusement. She was serious, and it was such a sight that Blake felt her heart stir uncomfortably. "You're probably the bravest person I know. I love you, Blake. I only wish you could see what I see."

"Maybe I will... someday." Blake offered, lifting herself higher to come that smallest bit closer to Yang. "If I hear it enough, maybe I'll start to believe it?"

"You're amazing." Yang declared with a grin, as if it was an obvious fact. "And I'll tell you every single day until you believe it as much as I do." Blake might have had another line on her mind, a good one that should be in more movies, but whatever idea she might have had was quickly chased away when Yang's lips met hers. However many times they had kissed and yet it still managed to completely steal her breath away.

They parted all too soon and Blake could feel her mind struggling to catch up with reality. She smiled, a small laugh escaping her, and she interlaced her fingers with Yang's. "I'm so glad you're okay." She whispered, tilting her head back to smile up at her. "I love you."

"I love you too, Kitten."

////////////

Yang couldn't hide her grin as red and black confetti filled the room, high fives and hugs surrounding her every direction she turned. Nora pounced on her and squeezed her in a bone-crushing hug that definitely broke at least one rib. Cheers echoed in her ears even as she followed the crowd filtering out. She stopped at the front doors of her school, one she would not step foot in again until Ruby's graduation in a couple years time. She waited there with a smile that made her face go numb, hugging friends and sharing congratulations.

Blake and Ilia came out together, Amitola and Belladonna being seated near each other in the first place. They were smiling, laughing, hugging each other before Ilia pointed to Yang. Those adorable, endearing, felid ears perked at the sight of her and Blake's face _illuminated_. She walked over, a touch timid in front of so many people, and pulled Yang down into a firm kiss. She was certainly not about to resist that. Still, it had to come to an end shortly lest they risk making a scene in front of their peers.

"I almost can't believe it." Blake enthused with a genuine smile that made Yang's heart melt. "I keep thinking I'll wake up and it will be finals week again!" She added with a laugh. Yang couldn't hide her lovestruck grin even if she had tried, which she shamelessly did not.

"I can't believe Goodwitch's face when I walked up there!" Yang laughed, all too easily slipping her arm around Blake's shoulder. "She didn't know how she was going to shake my hand, and I actually got her to fist bump! Did you see that?"

"Of course I did! I was waiting forever for them to call your name. I wasn't about to miss your self-important strut!" She teased, her ears flicking in response to Yang's laugh. God, Yang loved it when they did that. "Hey! I have an idea!" Blake slipped from under her arm and excitedly grabbed her hand, the mischievous smile on her lips only serving to excite Yang. "Let's get ice cream to celebrate!" Yang grinned and tightened her hold on Blake's hand, leaning forward dramatically.

"Blake?" Her girlfriend stared at her with a grin, waiting for the line she knew Yang would deliver. "You read my mind." With a flurry of giggles and the flowing of black hair over a crimson gown, Yang felt the swell in her chest and knew just as well what that meant to her. After a year and a half of having the absolute honor of calling Blake Belladonna her girlfriend, Yang knew it in her bones like an inarguable fact of the universe.

She wanted to spend the rest of her life with this girl.


End file.
